Flood works to protect town get £20,000 boost

In 2020, homeowners in the Bridge Street and West End areas of Witney faced flooding on Christmas morning

Flood defences to protect a town are set to receive £20,000 in government funding.

Storm Bert caused chaos in Witney, Oxfordshire, in November with police closing Hailey Road through to Crawley Road, and reports of householders having to run to grab sandbags from a nearby school.

The funding is part of the government's £2.65bn investment in flood and coastal risk management, in a bid to protect 52,000 homes and properties.

The Witney Flood Alleviation Scheme is one of nearly 700 projects across the county that will receive part of the funding.

In November Storm Bert caused flooding across Oxfordshire, including here on Dart Drive in Didcot

The scheme is an Environment Agency (EA) project that would involve several bunds being built upstream of the town to hold water back.

Caroline Douglass, executive director for flood and coastal risk management for the EA, said: "The delivery of these schemes will be welcome news for homeowners and businesses, who have experienced flooding in the past and may face more extreme weather as our climate continues to change."

Sensors have been installed at seven locations across the Windrush to analyse how the river behaves during flooding, after the Witney Flood Group were given funding by the county council and West Oxfordshire District Council.

Oxfordshire County Council also plans to grant funding for a number of small-scale flood schemes, such as reducing flooding from surface water run-off, ordinary watercourses and groundwater, between April 2025 and March 2026.

The deadline for councils and flood groups to express an interest is 18 April.