VALE villagers say they are in fear of floods when it rains because a brook has not been cleared for 31 years.

Last Thursday Vale MP Peter Luff went to Littleton Brook to see the problem for himself and says he will urge the Environment Agency to act.

He was told it was last dredged in 1969, at the expense of the owners but the brook from the bridge at North Littleton to the river Avon at Offenham has since been designated a "main river." Maintenance was taken over by the EA and, he was told, no work other than occasional weed and tree clearance had been done in 31 years.

"Consequently, the brook bed level has risen to a point where even normal rainfall is causing near flood situations," he said.

Resident Mrs Marjorie Haywood said: "It is frightening with people living on a knife edge waiting for something to be done."

Bill Forbes, Lower Severn area manager for the Agency, said in a letter: "Any scheme at North Littleton will have a modest benefit/cost and is unlikely to attract a grant. As it would be competing with much high priority schemes, it is likely to be many years before the necessary funding for North Littleton can be found."

He added: "The agency's view remains that the brook is in reasonable order when compared to other watercourses and dredging cannot be financially justified."

Mr Luff told villagers: "What seems to be required is short term action to alleviate the problem while a larger overall scheme for the area is prepared, so that ordinary heavy rain does not cause problems, and this is what I shall tell the agency."