I'm not sure that it will have done the wheelchairs much good but the quick thinking staff at one supermarket decided to use them to ferry folk in and out of the store when the heavens opened recently.

In the photos, you can see the large wheels of the self propelled wheelchair poking out above the water level and the occupants being pushed by the store employees in their high-vis jackets. These spring like showers that can flood are difficult to contend with as a wheelchair user. One minute you need to be lightly clothed as you push yourself about and then you need the wheelchair poncho or cape on as quick as possible to dodge the deluge.

In this Stafford based Tesco the wheelchair were used for an hour or so and over 50 folk were ferried out of the store back to the dry. My fear would be that those wheelchairs will now need a good service with particular attention being paid to the wheel bearings which are likely to rust having being submerged. most bearing cases are designed to repel a bit of surface water but when the are submersed and the wheels turned, water will get in side and start the rusting process. Apart from having a squeaking wheelchair you are also likely to be let down when the bearings eventually fail.