The day the waters came - one year on

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Oxfordshire and Berkshire were hit by the floodwaters in July 2007

By Kieran Fox
BBC News

One year on from some of the worst floods seen in recent history and Sharon Woolford is only just beginning to move back home.

Her property in Bablock Hythe was one of thousands inundated in Oxfordshire and Berkshire by last summer's one-in-600 year rainfall event.

In some places 3.3in (85mm) fell in one day - the average is 1.9in (50mm) in the whole of July.

Ms Woolford and her dog Dodge were both displaced by the floods

For Ms Woolford, the only constant has been her job selling fishing tackle in Witney, she even had to place her Jack Russell Dodge in temporary accommodation.

"It's [work] the only place where my life has continued as normal.

"Home life, I've not had one."

The government has ploughed many millions of pounds into areas affected by last summer's floods, notably Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Yorkshire.

Only this week another £1.9m was promised to Berkshire and Oxfordshire, bringing the total to £5.9m for the area.

And while most agencies admit the recovery challenge has been "huge", the money is beginning to make a difference.

The Environment Agency, the body responsible for the UK's environment, has spent £2m on river maintenance, de-silting work, debris clearance activities, channel maintenance and improved river structures in Oxfordshire alone.

And there are plans for a £100m flood bypass channel around Oxford.

Barry Russell, Thames area flood risk manager for Environment Agency, said: "I'm most proud about the way we are pushing ahead with a management strategy for Oxford.

Ms Woolford's home was one of many flooded by the River Windrush

"We've got to a position where we are looking at a long-term strategy, costing £100m by 2016.

"We are not isolating solutions we are trying to come up with them.

"When you spend that sort of money you've got to make sure what you are getting is right. It could be 2016 before that's in place.

"Organisations are working together towards a multi agency flood plan."

Part of the multi-agency flood plan has seen new £180,000 demountable flood defences at Osney Island in Oxford.

But preparation remains the key.

An extra 20% of people have signed up to flood alert warnings but 43% of households in flood risk areas are still ignoring the risks.

"The rainfall that we saw last year was the worst on record so it was extraordinary, it's a one-in-600 year rainfall event," said Mr Russell.

"We acknowledge that climate change is real and happening. The actual volume of rainfall each year is the same but the way it falls has changed.

Hundreds of displaced people were acommodated at the Kassam Stadium

"It's falling in a greater intensity and if the ground is hard it will just run off."

More than 340 households across the Thames Valley have been unable to return home after last summer's floods, with 27 still living in caravans.

West Berkshire is most affected, with 168 households still not back in their properties, and 12 in caravans.

On Friday, West Oxfordshire District Council announced it will introduce a local discount scheme for unoccupied properties under repair following last year's floods.

This week floods recovery minister John Healey made reassurances.

"For those still not back in their homes my message is clear - you have not been forgotten and you are not alone," he said.

But preparing for future disruption is the key.

One way is through a wider network of flood wardens - local people who know how the river works.

It is something the Environment Agency plans to make more use of.

Nick Hills, a victim of flooding three times during the last eight years in Earl Street, Oxford, is a member of the Oxford Flood Alliance.

"Local authorities are taking their responsibilities more seriously," he said.

"We didn't choose a chocolate box property knowing it was going to flood.

Ms Woolford's home is now raised on a 2ft bed of stone

"Through some poor planning decisions in the past, we've been brought into the flood plain.

"Now the West Oxfordshire Community Flood plan is to have flood wardens in all the streets."

Meanwhile, Ms Woolford is moving back home, to a mobile property now on a 2ft (60cm) stone bed with new ceilings, floors and electricity.

She added: "If we are flooded again, I'll get a soggy garden but I'm quite convinced my house is now high enough to be out of the danger zone."