Flood areas to receive £800,000

Caravans were seen floating down the River Avon in Evesham

Flood-hit areas across the West Midlands are to receive £800,000 from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.

Worcestershire, the worst affected area, is to get £600,000, Shropshire receives £100,000 and Herefordshire and Warwickshire will each have £50,000.

The money has been made available for infrastructure repairs, including restoring shop fronts and riversides.

The cash is in addition to the £750,000 approved for the Severn Valley Railway.

River burst banks

The counties will also be supported through the £250,000 Rain or Shine promotion campaign led by Tourism West Midlands to boost the profile of local events and attractions.

Firms affected by flooding could be eligible for £2,500 worth of consultancy for free from Business Link West Midlands.

More than 750 people were stranded in cars, caravans, houses and boats in Worcestershire, as the fire service described the night of Friday 20 July as the "worst in living memory".

In Warwickshire on the Saturday, much of Stratford town centre and many villages along the River Avon were under water, while the River Leam burst its banks in Leamington.

In June more than 70 people had to be rescued from towns and villages across Shropshire while fire crews attended more than 300 incidents during the heavy rain.