Flooding action is called for in report

More action is needed to help the Wyre Forest district cope with the type of flooding which hit the area last year, according to a new report out today.

It swept through homes and washed away vast sections of Severn Valley railway track.

Now councillors are to write to the Environment Agency seeking training for voluntary groups who helped out during the floods of June and July 2007.

They also want Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor to be told of their "concern" that the Queen's speech gave no detail to any funding which might be available to help prevent future flooding.

Plans need to be made to reduce the flood risk, assess the impact of heavy rain and improve information available to the public, councillors have been told in a report following a national review by Sir Michael Pitt.

Last year there were three occasions when severe weather lashed north Worcestershire causing flooding.

This included the flooding of 260 homes, highways and industrial properties. Damage totalling £4 million was caused to the Severn Valley Railway line when as many as 45 sections of track between Bewdley and Bridgnorth were damaged or washed away.

This included a landslip.