Wednesday marked ten years since one of the most alarming and unforgettable incidents in recent Manx history: the collapse of Old Laxey Bridge during the severe flooding of December 3, 2015.

When Storm Desmond swept across the Isle of Man, it brought torrential rain, landslides and widespread disruption. Laxey was among the hardest hit.

As water levels surged along Glen Road, the historic 200-year-old bridge gave way beneath a school bus, sending the double-decker plunging into the swollen river below.

It was a moment that shocked the island.

Images of the partially submerged bus dominated news coverage and quickly spread far beyond Manx shores, prompting genuine fear about what might have happened.

Remarkably, and thankfully, nobody was injured. The driver managed to escape before the vehicle fell, and no children were on board at the time.

In the immediate aftermath, the lower part of Laxey was closed as emergency services responded.

The government said the bus would not be recovered until the weekend ‘at the earliest’ because the salvage operation required the movement of overhead power cables and gas pipes.

Then Garff MHK Steve Rodan said at the time: ‘The Old Laxey Bridge has been there for 200 years – this is unquestionably the worst flooding I have ever seen in the village.’

The floods stretched resources across the island.

Torrential rain closed roads, left drivers stranded and caused landslides, including a significant fall that shut the Mountain Road (some things don’t change!)

Standing water and debris were also reported in Colby, St Mark’s, Glen Vine, Port Erin, Crosby, Union Mills, Kirk Michael and Ramsey.

In Douglas, the National Sports Centre was forced to close after sustaining extensive water damage. The running track and sports halls were submerged when the nearby river burst its banks.

For Laxey residents, the 2015 event was traumatic, but it was not the last major flood.

In 2019, the village suffered again when extremely heavy rainfall caused the river to reach road level and surge through a hole left in the river wall during temporary works by Manx Utilities contractors.

The force of the water, combined with a build-up of debris, sent torrents down Glen Road.

62 properties were damaged and several residents became trapped as the village was cut off.

An independent review later highlighted mistakes made by multiple parties, including government and Manx Utilities.

Many residents believed the 2019 incident was preventable, especially as concerns about debris and drainage had previously been raised following the 2015 flood.

A major clean-up operation followed.

The then Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer described the effort as ‘massive’, involving the removal of trees and debris from the river, the delivery of extra sandbags and the provision of skips for damaged furniture and flooring.

At that time, the Chief Minister Howard Quayle said an action plan was being developed to ‘ensure it doesn’t happen again’.

Since then, a flood alleviation scheme has been implemented in Laxey, including a reinforced concrete river wall, larger drains and a debris catcher designed to improve resilience.

Ten years on, the photographs still speak for themselves.