I would like, through the echo, to put in writing my disgust at certain drivers, who were obviously out and about just to look at all the flooding at the weekend. I had to go out on Saturday and on my return the Winterbourne in Martinstown was half full but by 9.00am on Sunday it was full and overflowing out into the village and worse, going into people’s houses.

Several villagers were trying to help those who were not so lucky. We were amazed at the amount of traffic piling through our village without a thought for those who were trying to sweep, sandbag and protect their houses from worse flooding. We noticed several vehicles driving through the village three or four times.

We stopped some and asked where they were going only to be abused verbally and worse than that the speed at which some were driving was a disgrace, not realising or not caring that they were causing tidal waves and sending the water back into people’s houses.

We noticed three vehicles driving towards Winterbourne Abbas one of which drove around the ‘Police Road Closed Sign’ and on into deep water. His car stopped; obviously waterlogged.

We watched and he had to remove his footwear and get out with water halfway up his legs and push his car.

We just laughed at him. I hope he has a major bill for the repair.

The police were partly to blame for that as the main Dorchester to Bridport Road had to be closed, instead of checking on the villages they diverted traffic from Monkey jump roundabout down through Martinstown.

It caused havoc. I would like to ask those senseless drivers how they would feel if it were their houses being flooded and made worse by the idiots driving far too fast.

A RESIDENT, Martinstown, (Name and address supplied)