Residents in a village hit by repeated flooding are having to pay thousands of pounds from their own pockets to pay for the damage.

Householders in Nuneham Courtenay are finding insurance companies are slapping huge excesses on their policies before they will agree to give cover.

Paul Woodman had his home flooded on two successive days. He has now been forced to pay an excess of £5,500 before repairs, which he estimates will cost "tens of thousands of pounds," can be carried out on his two-bedroomed terraced property.

Mr Woodman said: "Because of the previous flooding, which happened three years ago, we have had to pay an excess on flooding damage.

"I have had estimates from builders but until the problem is solved there is no point in having the work done.

"I am quite sure we will not be insured at all for flooding in the future."

Nuneham Courtenay was hit by flooding in October and again late last month.

Insurance broker Stuart Schofield, of Chipping Norton firm Allen & Schofield, said: "People who have been flooded are being told their excesses are increasing. They will have to pay a higher proportion of any subsequent flood themselves. That is a problem and it is getting worse.

"A severe winter in which there were a great number of claims could cause insurers to number crunch and increase premiums."

Association of British Insurers spokesman, Michael Tarling, said: "Winter rainfall has increased by 30 per cent in the last 40 years. Insurers will continue to cover people for flood provided the Government puts proper flood defences in place. At present some new developments have been built on floodplains which have actually increased the flood risk for older houses."

Insurance companies base their flood risk assessment on maps drawn up by the Environment Agency.

South Oxfordshire District Council commissioned a report recommending that ditches in neighbouring fields in Nuneham Courtenay be cleared and made deeper while the capacity of a nearby pond is also increased.

The report has now been passed to landowners, and it is hoped action can be taken as quickly as possible.

Council spokeswoman Shona Pasons said: "The problem occurs when a large volume of water flows off the land very quickly.

"The proposals are to increase the capacity of the land to hold water and allow it to flow more slowly through the village."

People can check whether they are in a flood risk area by logging onto the Environment Agency's web site at www.environment-agency.gov.uk