FLOOD ROUND-UP: Offers of help are pouring in

During the past week e-mails from all over the country have been pouring in, offering words of condolence and support for the people of Worcester.

"It's amazing that people from all over the country would take the time and effort to send good wishes," said county council press officer Kevin Galloway.

Mr Galloway estimated that around 100 e-mails have been received so far through the county council's web master Dave Morris.

"People in Worcester are used to it - we all pull together and we get on with it - but it's nice to know people care, particularly those who have visited the county and enjoyed it, and are taking the time to wish us well during the floods," said Mr Galloway.

One message came from a lady who had spent a holiday in Worcester, during the Easter floods of 1998, and then again in September, during the petrol crisis.

"I just had to say how sorry I am to see the problems with flooding that you are having," she wrote in her e-mail of Tuesday, November 2.

"We spent a very soggy holiday in the area the year of the Easter floods.

"In September we came for a week, sadly choosing the same week as the fuel shortages. So we saw little of the area. Worcester was beautiful and I cried to see the news pictures of the streets we had so admired, water-logged."

She finished the e-mail: "Once again our sympathies to everyone concerned and we hope that things improve for the area soon."

In another e-mail a Midlands man offered the services of his four-wheel drive vehicle.

Another, from a family in Chippenham, Wiltshire, simply said: "Good Luck: "Just to say good luck over the next few days with the floods. We are thinking of you."

Mr Galloway said he would like to thank everyone who had contacted the county council for their kind thoughts and words.

Emergency planners could land a windfall

EMERGENCY planners in Worcestershire could land themselves a windfall as the Government prepares to "relax" guidelines on crisis funding.

But county councillors have been warned that current guidelines mean they would have to spend more than £750,000 before Westminster offered limited help.

Under the Government's aid system - known as the "Bellwin" scheme - the council is eligible to apply for funds after spending £789,000.

The police authority, which is a legally separate body, is also able to ask for central funds. Its threshold is £134,000.

Once classed as eligible, the council can recoup up to 85 per cent of the costs of tackling floods.

However, Ministers have hinted that the funding guidelines might be relaxed and the council could claim 100 per cent of its costs.

"It's far to early to say what the costs of this year's floods are," said the county council's director of finance, Mike Weaver. "We are monitoring the position closely. For the time being we need to fight the floods and sort out the numbers when we have firm data."

Mr Weaver - who said the Government was signalling a "more flexible approach" about funding - has told councillors he will present an update in December, by which time the costs of a clean-up operation would have been included in the figures.

The council has a £750,000 "pot" kept aside for crises such as flooding, described by Mr Weaver as a "prudent" measure.

The Easter 1998 floods cost the county more than £700,000 - short of the Bellwin threshold that year of £750,000.

A letter of thanks is to be sent by leading county councillors to the emergency services for their work so far.

Urgent calls put in jeopardy

EMERGENCY services are urging people not to phone 999 for weather and flood updates as they could delay an urgent call.

Kidderminster police say people should instead tune into regular radio bulletins and call flood helplines to gain information.

The plea was made as emergency services were today, put on standby again.

Flooding on the River Teme was expected to be in excess of 16ft above normal level.

Farmland and low-lying properties were expected to be hardest hit by the flooding with warnings being issued by the Environment Agency.

Tenbury Wells was likely to suffer the most from the floods with the A456 and A443 expected to be flooded.

Police also urged drivers and pedestrians not to try to use roads closed due to water and follow diversions. Sightseers were also asked to keep away from flooded areas so not to hamper emergency services.

New date for washed-out donor session

A BLOOD donor session wiped out because of last week's floods, has been reorganised at Stourport-on-Severn.

The session has been arranged at short notice for tomorrow, to help build the country's depleted blood stocks.

"We promised the people of Stourport that we would be back as soon as possible to make up for last Thursday, and the opportunity has come up more quickly than we dared hope," said a spokesman for the National Blood Service.

"Blood stocks in the Midlands, and nationally, are currently about 10 per cent lower than we would like, so we are very pleased to make up for the lost session at Stourport."

The blood donor team will be at the usual venue, the Civic Hall in New Street, but the times will be 10.15am to 12.15pm and 1.45pm to 4pm.

Most of the donors who were invited to attend last week's session have been sent an urgent letter advising them of tomorrow's session.

"We know a lot of donors were disappointed last week and we hope they will be able to come along this Wednesday," said the spokesman. "Additionally, we will welcome people who want to become donors for the first time."

Anyone wishing to find out more information about sessions or enrolling can call the national Blood Service on 0345 711711 or visit the website www.blood.co.uk

Helpline is due to close

A HELPLINE set up to help and advise people concerned about rising flood waters was due to close today after taking 5,000 calls.

Worcestershire County Council and West Mercia police set up the helpline to cope with questions from the public but demand has now fallen.

Calls now being received are routine traffic ones and the public are being advised to listen to traffic bulletins on radio stations before beginning all journeys.

"I would like to thank volunteer staff from the county council and West Mercia police service for a wonderful job," said Dilys Wynn, head of human resources at the county council.

"Although we are closing the helpline, if the situation deteriorates we will review any future need for it.

"I would also like to thank the public for their support and patience. The community may wish to know expressions of support and sympathy have been received from well wishers around the county."