FLOOD defences held firm in South Cerney over the festive period despite heavy rainfall.

Although downpour caused water levels in the River Churn to rise there was no flooding in the village.

There has been a series of improvements to South Cerney’s flood defences over the past two years, including the installation of a water drainage system by the parish council at the River Churn bridge to protect homes on Robert Franklin Way.

Mike Stuart, who stepped down as chairman of the council earlier this year, said that the  system which allows excess water to be drained into a nearby field through lead pipes has worked very well.

“These measures seem to have prevented a build up of flooding behind the old railway embankment,” Mr Stuart said.

 

On Sunday January 3, Thames Water engineers and contractors carried out tests at the junction of High Street, Clarks Hay and Station Road, on the company's emergency pumping scheme, which was installed last summer in order to ensure its team know how to react if the villages sewers back up.

As part of the scheme, Thames Water plan to set up a large stationary pump on the roadside if the need for excess pumping arises.

Mr Stuart added: ”Despite all these works it is still up to individual householders to ensure that they have carried out appraisals of how liable their properties are to flooding and to have acquired their own flood prevention items such as flood gates and sand bags. Do not expect these to be supplied by local authorities on request.”