It is a classic case of passing the buck.

The Environment Agency and councils tell people in flood-ravaged areas of Oxfordshire that there is not much they can, or are willing to do, to help them.

It is up to them to provide their own flood protection.

Yes, there are some elementary things that people can do to protect their belongings, like moving furniture and personal property to a safe place.

But it is unreasonable to expect them to pay for expensive equipment to stop floodwater gushing into their homes.

That's the job of the experts.

What happened to this grand plan to spend £100m on flood protection in Oxford over the next seven years?

Has this been quietly forgotten?

Even if people could afford to pay to seal doors and windows and install pumps, there must be serious doubt about their effectiveness.

There is little point in one family splashing out thousands of pounds to hold back the water - the work needs to be coordinated over a wide area.

It makes us wonder whether our so-called experts really know how to deal with floodwater.

Other countries like Holland have learned to live below sea level and to control water.

Why can't we learn lessons from them?