A WOMAN from Ambleside has come to the defence of a businessman who has been accused of taking advantage of flood victims.
Rebecca Dearden contacted the Evening Mail after reading about the allegations against Windermere-based off road vehicle hire firm Kankku.
The company's owner, Nick Fieldhouse, came under fire after charging a number of wedding guests to transport them to the Merewood Hotel using his fleet of 4X4s.
Some accused Mr Fieldhouse of being an opportunist and said he charged too much for a short journey.
Mr Fieldhouse explained he was operating his business as he would normally and that none of the guests were in any danger but has since offered to reimburse anyone who was unhappy.
Nick Fieldhouse
Mr Fieldhouse was hesitant to go into any great detail in his own defence, but Mrs Dearden, one of his neighbours, was "compelled to get in touch to give the other side of the story".
Mrs Dearden, who works at the University of Cumbria in Carlisle, said Mr Fieldhouse had rescued her family on three separate occasions when they were trapped by floodwater over the weekend.
She said: "Mr Fieldhouse did not charge for taking me home, he did not charge for the two day hire of his vehicle.
“Neither did he charge my boyfriend for the recovery of his car, nor the service his mechanic performed to make sure it was drivable.
"This is not the first time that Mr Fieldhouse has helped me out. I have often joked that he is like our own personal superhero.
"From my experience he is an extremely kind man, who albeit taciturn and of few words, always helps those in need, without question and without asking for anything in return."
Mrs Dearden said Mr Fieldhouse has helped a number of residents, at no charge, when they were stuck or genuinely in danger and said he was "one of those people who would stop and help a stranger change their tyre".
She added: "I understand from local knowledge, that for the rest of the day, Kankuu mostly rescued people and livestock from the floods, both on the road and from the fells.
“I might add, that where Kankku rescued people in need, they did not charge."
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