A slice of £115m flooding relief grant from the EU should come to Oxfordshire, it was claimed today.

The money, which needs to be rubber-stamped by the EU's budget authority, would be shared by the worst-hit areas of Britain.

With the EU ready to distribute the money next year, the fight has already begun to secure "a significant" sum for Oxfordshire.

James Elles, Euro MEP for the South East, said the share-out should reflect the seriousness of the flooding in the county.

He said: "While Gloucestershire and parts of the North of England were seriously flooded, the Thames Valley bore the brunt of the flooding in the South East. Across Oxfordshire, more than 2,600 homes were flooded."

The money would go towards reimbursing the cost of emergency measures, such as rescue services, cleaning up and restoring basic infrastructure.

Despite flooding elsewhere in the country, Mr Elles said he was confident some of the millions would be destined for Oxfordshire.

"Logically speaking, much of the funds should be destined for Oxfordshire," he said.

"Councils are out of pocket to the tune of millions of pounds at a time when their budgets are being strained by other pressures."

Charles Shouler, cabinet member for finance, said: "People can be assured that the county will be making an application and putting the best case that we can."

And a new pressure group, the Oxford Flood Alliance, has been launched, to try to give residents in the city a stronger voice.

The group said it would fight for speedier measures to protect residents in vulnerable areas, such as Binsey, Botley and Osney, Wolvercote, and Hinksey.

The group would also assist with self-help measures, such as installing tiled floors and pumps.

Richard Thurston, of Osney Island Residents' Association said: "We cannot afford to wait to the next flood."