Villagers call for drains to be cleared after flash floods

The worst of the flash flooding was seen around Sandy Lane

Villagers are calling for drains to be cleared more regularly after heavy rain led to flooding again.

People living in Brown Edge in the Staffordshire Moorlands have said flash flooding has become a regular event.

Resident Debbie Jackson said parts of the village looked like "a lake" after the latest rainfall.

Some put out sandbags, but complained houses were being drenched when vehicles drove through the water, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Hairdresser Joanne Carter, who came to Brown Edge just over a year ago, said: "It happened last year as well. It happens loads, you can tell by the door."

But she thanked Staffordshire County Council for coming out quickly to unblock drains on Sandy Lane.

Joanne Carter said passing cars caused water to splash properties along Sandy Lane

Staffordshire County Council were praised for unblocking drains to clear the flood water

Ms Jackson said the flooding this week had been worse than normal, adding: "There's a stream that feeds the well, which goes behind the houses, and if that gets blocked up we get flooding, where all the water comes gushing down and straight into people's houses."

She said the drains needed to be more regularly checked and kept clear.

Staffordshire County Council said it routinely inspects and clears drains and gullies and would ask an inspector to check the drains in Brown Edge as soon as possible.

Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, David Williams, said gully cleaners work full-time across the entire highway network, maintaining over 180,000 gullies.

"If there are problems during times of heavy rain, crews will always prioritize those areas where private property is affected or flooding presents a hazard to the road user," he added.