FLOOD defence work cannot come soon enough for a group of residents in St Neots who again just had to hope the flood water did not reach their homes. Water overflowing from the River Great Ouse flooded across The Paddock, which is next to Riverside Park,

FLOOD defence work cannot come soon enough for a group of residents in St Neots who again just had to hope the flood water did not reach their homes.

Water overflowing from the River Great Ouse flooded across The Paddock, which is next to Riverside Park, and came within a few feet of the properties.

The Environment Agency has said work is expected to start in the Paddock in 2009 and would include an embankment, flood gates and the raising of Crosshall Road.

The scheme is expected to cost about £2million but is yet to be given planning permission by Huntingdonshire District Council.

However, as heavy rain last week led to flooding, St Neots town councillor and Paddock resident, Jennifer Bird, pictured outside her home, told The Hunts Post, the improvements cannot come soon enough.

"When it rains heavily, the residents of the Paddock have an anxious time.

"Many of us are up in the early hours of the morning watching the water coming into the road and onto some of the driveways. Several of us move our vehicles to higher ground.

"Inside our homes we move many of our possessions upstairs."

Flooding also affected other areas across Huntingdonshire, although there was no reported damage.

Huntingdon's Riverside and Town parks were both under water, while Godmanchester, Earith, the Offords, Fenstanton and St Ives were among other places to suffer flooding.

Damson Way in Cambourne was again hit by some flooding which was said to have included raw sewage escaping down the road. The problem is believed to have been caused by the flooding of the pump house in School Lane.