WHEN an Environment Agency official tells you "it's this or nothing", you're wise to take notice and act on the advice.

When he's talking about the best available way to deal with the threat of devastating floods along one of Worcester's main roads, it's essential.

The "this" in Peter May's submission is a £600,000 barrier system which has already been bought by the EA.

It would cost £2,400 to put up and take down on Hylton Road, and £1,000 to maintain for each day it was in place.

Last night, city councillors expressed their concern about how the bill would be split between the EA and city and county councils.

That might have been regarded as diligence by the gathered members but, to the people of Worcester whose homes were blighted by the floods of 2000, that should be a minor detail - as should the price.

We're not sure whether the city council has ever estimated the total cost to residents and Hylton Road businesses - of which the Evening News is one - of those long weeks under water, but we'd place a fair wager on the chance that it was more than £1,000 a day.

Members of the city's development services policy and review committee voted unanimously to recommend the scheme to the city council's cabinet ahead of its meeting tonight.

It ought to be the shortest cabinet conversation on record.

Anything other than a loud "yes" would send a very disappointing message to the man in the street.