AN ELDERLY couple who are still waiting to return to their home which was flooded three months ago are angry nothing is being done to stop it happening again.

John Lee, 78, brought in a digger to clear muck and silt from the Chil Brook, which runs past his bungalow at Corlan Farm, Eynsham, after the July floods.

But, following last week's heavy rain, the water again burst through on to his land - this time not getting into the property.

He blames the Environment Agency for not getting the brook cleared downstream and for not taking action over a small historic bridge, which cannot cope with excessive water flow.

On July 20, a foot of water flooded the bungalow where Mr Lee lives with his wife Louise, 70.

They are still living in a caravan on site, along with their daughter Shelley Beaver, while the house dries out.

Mr Lee said: "We've been here 13 years and the brook has put our property in danger three times now.

"They just don't clear out the watercourse. We've done our stretch, but what's the point if just a bit further along it's all silted and choked up? It just backs up again."

Ms Beaver said: "My parents are getting on and they don't want to have to worry about this every time it rains heavily.

"I called the Environment Agency after Tuesday's heavy rain and they didn't bother to come out and look."

Their complaint comes as West Oxfordshire District Council announced one of its priorities in preventing flooding was clearance of watercourses, ditches and drains.

It has allocated £50,000 to the problem and another £75,000 to bring in specialist engineering staff, while also warning landowners they face enforcement action if they do not carry out regular clearance.

The money comes from £623,500 given under the Government's flood recovery grant scheme, after 1,600 homes were affected by the July floods.

The Environment Agency said it was aware of Mr and Mrs Lee's complaint, but said there were issues over land ownership along the banks of the brook.

Spokesman Tim Abbot said: "We have a programme of annual clearance work and we hope to do the brook soon.

"You have to remember there are a lot of watercourses in Oxfordshire.

"As for the bridge, it is a listed structure, so we cannot sanction changing it. There are some flood diversion channels round the sides of it and it will be part of our maintenance to clear out any silt and ensure they work to maximum capacity."

He added that the bungalow at Corlan Farm was built on a floodplain.

"Since late last year, we have been given stronger powers in stopping development on floodplains. We now have more influence, and that is good," he said.