WORCESTERSHIRE businesses affected by flooding can apply for a share of a half-million pound fund to get them back on their feet.

The Federation of Small Businesses has announced £500,000 is available to grant short-term interest free loans of up to £5,000 to any FSB member suffering severe trading hardship because of the recent floods.

John Wright, national chairman, said: "I have been as horrified as the rest of the country at the extent of the devastation from the recent flooding across the country.

"The FSB, as the UK's largest business organisation, is determined to help our members get back on their feet as soon as possible following this disruption.

"But we still need Government bodies such as the Environment Agency to focus as much on assisting businesses to get back on their feet as they do on helping people get back to a normal life in their homes.

"It will be little comfort to someone to arrive back in their house only to find out that their employer has gone bust."

Any FSB member in Worcestershire wanting to apply for a loan can call 01386 750032 or email angela.smith@fsb.org.uk The FSB is Britain's biggest business organisation, with more than 205,000 members across the country.