AN elderly couple who are still waiting to return to their home flooded three months ago are angry nothing is being done to stop it happening again.

John Lee, 78, actually brought in a digger to clear muck and silt from the Chil Brook, running past his bungalow, at Corlan Farm, Eynsham, after the July floods.

But, following the heavy rain earlier this month, the water again burst through on to his land - though this time not getting into the property.

He blames the Environment Agency for not getting the brook cleared downstream, and for not taking action over a small historic bridge, which cannot cope with excessive water flow.

Mr Lee lives with his wife, Louise, 70, at the bungalow, but on July 20, more than a foot of water came in. They have been living in a caravan on site, along with their daughter, Shelley Beaver, and dehumidifying the house.

Mr Lee said: "We've been here 13 years, and the brook has put our property in danger three times now.

"They just don't clear out the watercourse. We've done our stretch, but what's the point if just a bit further along it's all silted and choked up. It just backs up again."

Ms Beaver said: "My parents are getting on, and they don't want to have to worry about this every time it rains heavily. I phoned the Environment Agency after the recent heavy rain, and they didn't bother to come out and look."

The family's complaint comes just after West Oxfordshire District Council announced that one of its priorities in preventing future flooding was clearance of watercourses, ditches, and drains.

It has allocated £50,000 for the problem, and another £75,000 on bringing in specialist engineering staff, while also warning landowners they face enforcement action if they do not carry out regular clearance.

The money comes from £623,500 given under the Government's flood recovery grant scheme, after 1,600 homes were affected by the July floods.

The Environment Agency said it was aware of Mr and Mrs Lee's complaint, but said there were issues over land ownership along the banks of the Chil Brook.

Tim Abbot, spokesman, said: "We have a programme of annual clearance work, and we hope to do the brook soon. You have to remember there are a lot of watercourses in Oxfordshire.

"As for the bridge, it is a listed structure, so we cannot sanction changing it. There are some flood diversion channels round the sides of it, and it will be part of our maintenance to clear out any silt and ensure they work to maximum capacity."

He added that the bungalow at Corlan Farm was built on a floodplain.

"Since late last year, we have been given stronger powers in stopping development on floodplains. We now have more influence, and that is good," he said.

Source: Witney Gazette