Flood warning areas localised in Thames region

More localised and improved flood warnings are set to benefit people living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

The Environment Agency's flood warnings used to cover long stretches of rivers even when only a small part might be affected.

These have now been split up into smaller community areas with a specific Floodline quick-dial number for each.

It is designed to help people know when a warning is relevant to them.

The new system means that the Environment Agency (EA) has increased the number of flood warning areas along some of its rivers.

Communities along the Kennet River and several of its tributaries, the River Pang, Sulham Brook, and the River Thames from Shiplake to Medmenham, are among those who will benefit from it.

Many Floodline quickdial numbers, where the public can get local river level information, have also changed.

Those signed up to the free service should receive letters informing them of their new codes and areas affected over the next week, the EA said.