Villagers blame council for flood

The council failed to clear the flood drain in Oxton

A district council has admitted that flood defences in a Nottinghamshire village need to be better maintained.

Oxton was one village in the county hit by the recent flooding.

Villagers told Newark and Sherwood District Council on Tuesday that a flood channel and culverts failed because they were blocked.

Councillor Bruce Laughton admitted the defences were not maintained, but added a series of cutbacks made it difficult to pay for the work.

"We have to make sure it doesn't happen again," Mr Laughton said.

Excessive flooding

Ian Kilpatrick of Oxton Parish Council said: "If maintenance had been carried out over a normal period - at least annually or twice a year - then we wouldn't have had the excessive floods we have seen."

Resident Diane Allen said: "If it has been maintained and it still happened, then you would put up your hands and say perhaps there was nothing that could have stopped it, but when you find out it wasn't properly maintained, it just adds insult to injury."

Residents in nearby villages of Lambley, Woodborough, Calverton and Lowdham were also hit by the recent heavy rain and flooding.

In those villages, pumps were used to clear water from some properties.