TOWNSPEOPLE have rallied round in a bid to help Malmesbury avoid a repeat of last winter’s flooding.

Photos, news reports and memories have been pouring in to the team of local councillors and volunteers working with the Environment Agency on a project that could see the town’s flood risk map completely changed.

Evidence of development, changes to the management of the river and local landscape are all being collated.

Town councillor Sue Poole explained: “We are working closely with the Environment Agency to try to work out what has changed. It is not just the weather.

“We’ve had a good response and some very interesting photos have come in.”

One dating back to 1908 appears to show a cottage in what is now the memorial garden, behind a wall which has since been demolished. The wall would have acted as a barrier, preventing the river from reaching the road in flood conditions.

Pictures have also emerged showing the mill race coming off the river upstream and going under the Silk Mills.

One practical move to avoid a repeat of the November flood is already in hand.

Cllr Poole explained: “In the 1970s before they put weirs in there used to be hatches that could be opened and closed to control the flow of the river.”

Some of the hatches still exist at Cow Bridge. “They are supposed to be open in times of flood but they were closed.”

However the owner of the winding key used to operate them has been found and copies are being made to allow more keyholders to ensure they are opened as the flood season approaches.

In November houses close to the town bridge were inundated to a height of around three feet. Householders lost many of their possessions and some had to be helped to dry land by the fire service.

Their plight hit the national news and afterwards the Duchess of Cornwall dropped by to see how they were faring as their homes were being dried out.