Cambs and Beds residents warned to prepare for flooding in winter

Alconbury Weston in Cambridgeshire was badly hit by floodwater in January

Residents in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire have been warned to prepare for flooding this winter.

Last Christmas, flooding affected Bedford at a level not seen since the Easter flooding in 1998.

Parts of Cambridgeshire have seen flooding already this year, including Peterborough in July,

The county's chief fire officer Chris Strickland said it "was impossible to stop [flooding] happening on every occasion".

The warning in Cambridgeshire came from the Local Resilience Forum, made up of councils, emergency services, the Environment Agency, health agencies, Highways Agency, utility companies, the voluntary sector and military.

Bedfordshire had serious flooding at Christmas last year

Mr Strickland, who chairs the forum, said: "It is incredibly distressing when [flooding] happens and so giving it some thought beforehand will help people focus should plans ever be needed."

Last month, flooding hit Huntingdon, damaging the recently renovated Commemoration Hall, and in September Cambridge railway station's entrance and ticket hall was closed because of flooding.

Councils in Bedfordshire, along with Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue, have created a "flood forum" to share advice on flood preparation.

A Civil War fort was clearly outlined by the floodwaters near Earith in storms in January

A report in flooding in Bedford last year said the borough experienced "widespread and exceptional flooding" between 23 and 26 December 2020, with 65 properties flooded.

People in more than 1,300 properties were urged to leave their homes as 50-55mm (about 2in) of rain on 23 December led to a major incident being declared on Christmas Day.

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A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said flooding "can be devastating" and said residents should "prepare for the worst".

They said people should create "a personal flood plan [to] help keep you safe and reduce the cost of potential damage".

Flooding on Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough, led to vehicles including an ambulance becoming stuck in the rising water in July