WILTSHIRE Council is urging residents in areas prone to flooding to take precautions ahead of the particularly wet winter expected this year.

Last winter around 500 homes were flooded in Wiltshire and the three month outlook from the Met Office predicts that the weather will be wetter than average until January with a series of storms sweeping across from the Atlantic.

Jonathon Seed, cabinet member for flooding,said: “Last winter we saw people pull together locally to help vulnerable neighbours in times of need and enact flood plans to minimise the disruption.

“I would urge people living in areas which we know are prone to flooding to do all they can to protect their homes in advance.

“We will continue to work with our partners throughout the winter to ensure the often devastating disruption caused by flooding is kept to an absolute minimum.”

If you live in an area prone to flooding your parish council will have been encouraged to develop a flood plan and recruit flood wardens.

Contact your parish council to find out more or to get involved in reducing the impact of flooding to yourself and your community.

The council are also urging residents to come up with a personal contingency plan, making sure they know how to turn off the electricity, gas and water supplies and having key contacts programmed into a mobile phone just in case.

The Environment Agency website provides detailed updates about flooding and details of how you can sign up for regular email or phone flood alerts.

Wiltshire Council is unable to supply sandbags to individuals in advance of any flood warnings but towns and parishes can bid for food defence equipment including sandbags under the Parish Emergency Alleviation Scheme.

The council has a limited supply of sandbagsand any requests for them during an emergency will be considered on a case-by-case basis and prioritised by level of need or vulnerability – for example the elderly or infirm and the protection of commercial property to prevent environmental pollution.

If you are in imminent dangerof flooding telephone the council on 0300 456 0105or out of hours call 01722 413834.