ELDERLY residents have again been left in fear of Christmas flooding that once devastated their homes because a nearby brook is clogged with litter.

Pictures show bottles, bikes and weeds choking the Bicester brook that runs along Hanover Gardens and frustrated residents say it is a regular occurrence.

Households worry that winter weather coupled with the constant clutter could trigger flooding similar to a deluge which left several families homeless for Christmas in 2013.

Dozens of elderly people living in the sheltered housing site were forced to flee when the River Bure burst its banks on Christmas Eve.

READ AGAIN: 44 residents flee as care home goes underwater

Water levels surged to 10ft and some 50 people were rescued by firefighters, leaving many homeless into the New Year.

Oxford Mail: Firefighters lead 82-year-old George Robinson and his wife Helen, 78, from their flooded ground-floor flat in  Hanover Housing Association flats in Bicester on Christmas Eve

As winter creeps in residents say they are frustrated weeds and litter have been left to build up once again.

Jean Montague, a resident on the site, said she first noticed the extent of the problem whilst walking her dog in September and reported it to a number of authorities without any action being taken.

The 69-year-old said: "If it rains like last year there is no way it will be able to filter all through the rubbish.

"Some people do live in fear after everything that happened before, everyone is worried of flooding as it was very disruptive."

Fellow resident Angela Wallis said: "The stream is absolutely chock-a-block, completely overgrown and there is no ifs or buts about it – if we had torrential rain it would flood.

"There are elderly people that live here and they shouldn't have the stress every year that it could flood if its not cleared in time.

"It shouldn't get to this point and we shouldn't have to shout about it to get something done."

Just days ago the stream running along Manorsfield Road could be seen covered in a layer of tin cans and bottles, with bikes and trolleys strewn across the bottom.

Residents said it had been this way for at least eight weeks and said last year the problem got so bad that locals were forced to help out and clear it.

Ms Montague said: "It was the same last year. We had this really heavy rain and the water levels were up to within a foot of bursting point.

"It took a member of the public, Clayton Moore, to ask people on Facebook for help clearing it. If he hadn't it would have flooded again."

The brook itself is maintained by both Sainsbury's – which has a store over the road – and Catholic Parishes of the Immaculate Conception church.

Oxford Mail:

A Sainsbury’s spokeswoman told this newspaper yesterday that some rubbish in the brook had recently been cleared, adding: “We can reassure customers the brook is checked and cleared regularly.”

However the overgrown weeds which locals fear could exacerbate rubbish have not been cleared.

The church was contacted for comment but had not responded by time of going to press.

The Environment Agency said it had also helped Sainsbury's with its duties keeping the brook clear following the floods.

A spokeswoman said: "Since flooding affected properties in 2013, we have helped Sainsbury’s by clearing rubbish and debris that significantly increases the likelihood of flooding.

"Flood risk can never be fully eliminated, but we work hard with landowners and communities to help reduce the risk as far as possible."

Immediate flooding concerns can be raised with the EA on 0800 807060.