Flooded area told to be ready for repeat

FLOOD victims in Adswood have been warned they must be prepared for it to happen again.

Homes on Clover Avenue, as well as St Ambrose Church, have been repeatedly submerged over the years when heavy rain strikes.

The latest occasion was in September and Reverend Geoffrey O’Grady, from the church, has tackled the council about the problem.

He was at a central area committee meeting on behalf of residents to ask what is being done to prevent further instances and what has been done in the past after previous floods.

Rev O’Grady told the committee that this time the church hall had been flooded.

It was said a blocked watercourse on Appleby Close had added to the problem in September but debris had since been removed from it.

Access to sewers via manholes had been improved and the council and Network Rail, which has responsibility for parts of the surrounding land, will work on future mitigation measures.

But a council spokesman said: “We continue to ensure measures are taken to minimise the risk of flooding.

“We continue to address all factors that can be addressed. However it is not possible to definitely prevent it happening again.”

Resident Kevin Clinton also spoke at the meeting, saying the drains on Adswood Road needed upgrading.