A £60,000 plan to improve drains could solve flooding problems plaguing a block of elderly people's flats.

Oxford City Council engineers say an old drainage system under surrounding roads was to blame for repeated floods at Knights House -- an Oxford City Council home for the elderly in Harold White Close, Risinghurst.

The latest flood about 10 days ago forced two elderly residents to move out as their flats were damaged when heavy rainwater cascaded down nearby Shotover Hill into Risinghurst.

Firefighters helped clean up, but found the drains immediately around the home were clear.

Oxford City Council engineers have blamed the flooding on drains in other roads that were the responsibility of Oxfordshire County Council.

But county area engineer Colin Carritt said the floods were a result of a huge groundswell of rainwater and not necessarily a county council problem.

The city council is set to ask the county to grant £60,000 to update the old "soakaway" drainage system that was unable to cope with the floodwater.

Mr Carritt said it was unlikely the county council's executive board would decide on whether the drainage upgrade should be granted for Risinghurst until January.

As a temporary measure the city council is considering installing a raised road surface as a water barrier.