A NEW volunteer group has been formed to help reduce the risk of flooding in Abingdon.

The Ock Valley Flood Group was officially launched at the weekend, when volunteers started work on clearing some of the blocked drainage ditches on the meadow to the west of the Drayton Road bridge so water could flow more freely.

Group chairman and Vale of White Horse district councillor Richard Webber said: “We are reducing the risk of flooding on the whole and trying to get a decent and working system for flood emergency action.

“Because next time it does flood, and it will, we hope we do a lot better than in 2007 when we were all running around like headless chickens.”

He said that while large-scale flood prevention schemes would be carried out by the Environment Agency, the group had identified a number of areas where it could help reduce flood risk.

He added: “We have been overwhelmed by the numbers of people wanting to lend a hand with this project.

“We are confident that, with the help of all the authorities invol-ved, we can make a big difference.”

Treasurer Jim King added: “With the help of a grant from the Vale and their engineer Peter Dela, we have been able to assemble enough equipment to start the work. We are also very grateful for the offer of further help from Abingdon Town Council.”

Mr Dela, the council’s principal engineer, said: “The Ock Valley Flood Group has undertaken an enormous but vital task, and the council is delighted to be supporting the project.”

In July 2007, 1,500 people in Abingdon were evacuated from their homes – more than half near the River Ock – following record rainfall.

Since then, the district council has encouraged communities badly affected by the floods of 2007 to set up flood groups.

In February last year, interested residents agreed that an Ock Valley Flood Group was needed, and a committee of local volunteers was formed.

The group applied for a grant of £2,500 from the district council, which it used to survey 2,000 homes in the south of the town. It now has more than 50 members and produces a twice-yearly newsletter public bodies.