Businesses in Cambridgeshire are being offered free property flooding advice as part of new drive to ensure people are prepared.

The Flood Handbook for Your Business is designed to help business owners plan ahead and make their premises resilient to future flood risk and has been published by the Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project.

The Ox-Cam Pathfinder Project is one of three national partnerships with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs focused on raising awareness of flood issues and how to tackle them showing real-life examples of businesses across the country which have adapted their properties to keep livelihoods intact in the event of a flood.

Ben Plummer, from the Environment Agency, said: “Our long term vision is to create a nation ready for, and resilient to, floods. Flooding happens but helping communities prepare in advance will reduce the damage and stress floods can cause.

“There are simple practical measures you can add to properties at risk of flooding to make the clear up quicker, get your business back on track and save money.”

He said the guide included information about airbrick covers, installing non-return valves on waste pipes, using flood resistant coatings on walls and installing flood barriers to stop water coming through doorways.

Matt Tandy, from the Ox-Cam PFR Pathfinder Project said: “We are seeing an increasing threat of flooding across the country, driven by unpredictable weather conditions and the changing climate.

“Flooding can occur anywhere and the disruption and impact on livelihoods can be huge; it therefore pays to be prepared.

"Our focus is to work with business owners across Cambridgeshire to show them how they can reduce the impact flood waters may have.

“Being flooded can paralyse a business for many weeks, if not months, which could create major disruption or even financial pressures.

We want to help business owners learn what actions they can take now. We are therefore delighted to publish the new Flood Handbook for Your Business to help business owners plan, prepare and become as flood resilient as possible.”

A free copy of the Flood Handbook for Your Business is available at visit: www.floodtoolkit.com/ox-cam/, email: PFR.NCC@northnorthants.gov.uk .