Cash poured into county's drains

An additional £160,000 has been diverted into the drain clearance and maintenance budget in Gloucestershire.

The county's highways department said it had prioritised its effort based on the frequency of flooding, potential damage to property and road safety.

A council spokeswoman said the programme of works would run from December through to March.

"We are working to get more money to help the flood recovery. Until then we have to prioritise our efforts."

The money is in addition to the £800,000 budget Gloucestershire Highways receives for drainage repair and improvement each year.

Gloucestershire County Council is leading a multi-agency team with a view to prioritising more than 400 schemes that fall into the category of roads liable to flood, so that long term solutions can be found.