While we are all grateful, I am sure, to the Oxford Mail for continuing to keep our plight in the public eye with high-profile reports, it is important that our efforts are coordinated to ensure that one affected area is not defended from flooding at the expense of others.

Concerns were raised at a meeting in West Oxford Community Centre recently that the defensive measures that we proposed for Bulstake Close, Earl Street and Duke Street, off Botley Road, Oxford, would put residents south of us at risk.

However, as we pointed out at the time, we believe that the solution to our problem lies in allowing the southward-flowing water to revert to its former path - that which it followed before man-made obstacles intervened.

Previous generations of engineers were aware of this, hence the proliferation of bridges along Botley Road (now reduced from seven to four). But this must be done in conjunction with similar engineering measures to the south, not shown on the map you published.

To quote Peter Rawcliffe, of the South Hinksey Flood Group, a local pressure body: "Significant improvements were made by the Environment Agency earlier this year to flow on Hinksey Stream at Towles Mill (near the dairy on the old Abingdon Road).

"However, welcome as these improvements are, the recent floods showed that they are not on their own enough.

"The whole west of Oxford area drains through this area and then, alas, meets a series of obstructions. At times of high water, the land to the north is flooded, that to the south is not."

It is clear that the proposed culverts at the southern ends of both Earl and Duke Streets, welcome as they will be, will do nothing to ease the problems of the residents of Bulstake Close and other areas to the north.

Maintenance of flow, however, by allowing excess water either below or even across Botley Road at lowered strategic points, south through the new culverts, then further south as described above, should protect all of us living in this area.

The water-filled bags and similar temporary defences (Oxford Mail, October 16) might be effective in protecting waterside properties such as those on Osney Island.

But they would be useless in preventing water from entering our homes from beneath, as the water table rises under inexorable pressure created by the build-up of water north of Botley Road.

This pressure forces water through existing drains and culverts into the basin in which we now live. A solid floor is no defence either, as water will find its own level.

If that level is lower than your floor, you can keep your slippers on, but if the reverse is true, then it's welly time!

We don't profess to be hydrologists. We have simply been unfortunate in witnessing the same pattern of events three times in the last seven years.

By the time the dramatic scenes occurred that were beamed around the world, most of our homes had already been flooded. It just got deeper.

The report highlighted the likely costs involved. Yellow bags are a visible and eye-catching way of demonstrating that money is being spent to protect residents at risk.

Let's hope that those tasked with allocating funds are equally keen to provide money to pay for men in yellow jackets operating yellow machines.

NICK HILLS Earl Street Oxford