FAIRFORD and Lechlade avoided a repeat of previous year’s flooding thanks to defence works costing £600,000 carried out earlier this year.

While homeowners in Malmesbury were left with several inches of water in their properties on Christmas Eve, Fairford and Lechlade seemed to have escaped the worst of the storm.

Chairman of the Fairford Flood Alleviation Group Trevor Hing said residents were still on standby just in case.

“We remain vigilant,” he said on Christmas Eve. “We haven’t finished all the flood defences but the main ones in town have been done. Hopefully it will all be okay.”

Both Fairford and Lechlade suffered from devastating floods in 2007. A £600,000 flood defence scheme began in early June 2013 in Fairford to protect the town from problematic floodwater.

Cllr Chris Roberts reported flooding outside Lechlade Garden Centre but a spokesman for the centre said the road was fine as long as people drove carefully.

“People are passing, everyone is at work who should be and we have customers,” he said. “We’ve seen worse here. There’s a little bit on the roundabout going into Lechlade but it is fine.”