Spanish floods: Mirror joins hero volunteers fighting to save communities in 'worst ever disaster'

An army of kind-hearted volunteers today joined the emergency services to help to .

Thousands made their way to , on what is a holiday day, armed with brushes, shovels and rakes, as well as much-needed supplies, including food and water, to help strangers in need.

Student Guillermo Garcia and his father Herman, 52, summed up the mood while walking to the area of Sedavi carrying an array of items, including blankets, coffee and milk.

Guillermo, 20, who lives in Valencia city-centre, told the : "We have been lucky, but we want to help those less fortunate. We are all people, we have to help each other. It's hard to see people going through this. We have brought them brushes and shovels to help clean up, as well as water, coffee and milk."

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They spoke after leaving their car near the village of Castellar L'Oliveral, where locals yesterday began clearing all of their sodden belongings from their homes. Items seen piled up at the side of homes there included sofas, chairs, tables, pots, pans, plates and even CDs and DVDs.

It had been reported that soldiers would today join the clean-up campaign, but they were nowhere to be seen, amid fears they were struggling to reach the area due to many main roads still being blocked by thousands of abandoned vehicles.

Violeta Fernandiz, 22, her sisters Irene, 29, and Aesther, 25, and pal Julia Cano, 25, were also among the flood heroes. She said: "Its terrible to see what has happened. We've come because we want to help and protect our people. Many of my class colleagues have been affected."

Julia, who works as an illustrator, added: "Our homes are OK, but if this had happened to our homes I'd hope other people would come to help."

Office worker Jorge Perez, who was wearing a Glasgow Rangers football top, walked 30 minutes from his home in flood-hit Sedavi, which had been under 10ft of water, in order to help others, including many elderly residents, in Castellar L'Oliveral.

He said: "My home is OK because I live on the first floor, but all the homes on the ground floor below me have been flooded out.

"The dad of my friend is missing. He is a teacher aged in his 50s. We are searching for him. He was last seen just before the flood came. He was trying to move the car to somewhere safe to save it.

"He is one of four people I know who have died or are missing. Two of them died on my street as they were trapped inside the ground floor. I feel tired and sad, but I wanted to come here to give people water and food. They don't have anything. Everyone is helping each other."

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