FLOOD victims claim the Environment Agency's latest high-tech warning system will do little to help home owners.

They said £30 million spent on risk assessment would have been better used on flood protection.

Iford Bridge Park Homes residents have been flood victims for years and need a £1.7 million defence scheme to protect their homes. Appeals have repeatedly been turned down.

"Risk assessments will just worry more people for nothing," said park warden Pat Bolwell. "If someone warns you about flooding there's little you can do. It would be better if they did something practical."

The Environment Agency claims its high-tech map will help home owners assess the risk to their homes.

Accessed via the internet, the map was produced to give residents more information and allow them to take preventative measures. Home owners and businesses can see how much risk they face. The site lists areas which could be affected by extreme flood and those that could be at risk in exceptional circumstances.

Users simply input their postcode and wait for the map to appear.

"We want to provide as much information as possible as soon as it is available to help people understand if they are at risk and what to do to prepare for flooding," said Environment Agency chairman Sir John Harman.

"Flooding will become more frequent as climate change leads to more extreme weather."

The launch of the new map marks the start of the Environment Agency's annual awareness campaign. But it has also prompted fears home owners will face higher insurance premiums if their location is considered high risk.

The Association of British Insurers denies the claims. A spokesman said: "Insurers have been using maps like this for some time. Insurers now have more accurate information and can actually differentiate between variations in postcode areas."

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

First published: October 8