MEN in waist-high waders will be out in force this weekend in a bid to rescue Worcestershire County Cricket Club's New Road pitch from the elements.

The playing surface is under water for the fourth time this winter after the River Severn once again burst its banks on Tuesday.

But although the silt left behind once the waters recede is good for the outfield, head groundsman Tim Packwood has to ensure that the square is protected as much as possible to ensure the wickets are in a good condition in time for the first game of the season on April 18.

That means he, along with a fellow member of the groundstaff, will be venturing on to the field as soon as the water goes down to knee height to clear as much silt as he can using a special device called a drag mat.

"The drag mat is made up of chains, and is around 4ft by 6ft long," he said. "We tie a piece of rope to either end and one person drags it one way while the other pulls it back.

"The idea is that it disturbs the silt so that as the water goes it will take most of the silt with it.

"This prevents any damage. The square has to have a very hard surface, but if silt gets left behind it goes crumbly, which makes for poor quality wickets."

It is a process that Mr Packwood will continue to practise - even if WCCC gets the go-ahead for a £10 million ground development.

Chief executive Mark Newton said: "When the floods are at their worst, the water gets into our members pavilion and the club shop and we have to clear everything out - it's a hell of a job.

"But if we get the go-ahead for development we will raise the ground floor above the one-in-150-year flood level to prevent this happening. However, the pitch will remain as it is and will still flood."

Across the county the water levels are going down - but very slowly. In Upton-upon-Severn it looks like the flood barriers will be up until early next week.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The water is still nearly a metre up the defences in Upton and the river is going down incredibly slowly."