Mole love story inspired by Lincolnshire floods spreads across the world

A flood education project inspired by the experiences of Lincolnshire schoolchildren after Storm Babet is now being used across the UK and internationally.

Darcy’s Tale was created following severe flooding at Heighington Primary School near Lincoln in October 2023, when groundwater and river flooding forced the school to close for between six and nine months. More than 200 children had to relocate to other schools while repairs took place.

The project began as a short animation produced by Aardman in collaboration with local authorities and flood resilience teams, before being adapted into a children’s book and tactile learning resources.

The story follows Darcy, a mole looking for love, while explaining to Key Stage One and Two children how groundwater flooding happens and how it can affect communities — even during dry weather.

Project lead Brett Rycroft said the aim was to help children better understand flooding and the emotional impact it can leave behind.

He said many children returned to school “traumatised from their experience”, prompting discussions about how to communicate flood awareness in a child-friendly way.

Every primary school and library in Lincolnshire has now received a copy of the book, with additional classroom resources due to launch in September as part of STEM learning.

The project has since spread far beyond the county, with organisations from Land’s End to John O’Groats using the materials. The Danish Education Board is also exploring the book as part of scientific learning and resilience projects for children.

Mr Rycroft said the tactile books and toys help children feel more comfortable opening up about their experiences.

“It’s helping support resilience and conversations around flooding, because the emotional impact can last long after the water has gone,” he said.