A PUB will be used as a future refuge for the victims of flooding in Powick after the landlord went beyond the call of duty to help out his fellow villagers when the Teme burst its banks.

Richard Sizer, landlord of the Red Lion pub, was praised by Powick parish and district councillors for his pivotal role in sheltering more than 30 flood victims in the middle of the night.

Mr Sizer opened his pub during the worst of the floods on Wednesday, June 27 and it is now to become the first port of call for future floods.

His gesture of goodwill earned the respect of the community who lavished praise on him at a meeting of Powick Parish Council on Wednesday.

District councillor Stephen Watkins said: "The idea is that the pub will stay a refuge and the landlord is willing to help out if there's an emergency, even in the middle of the night. He has been fantastic.

"During the floods there was a lot of fear, confusion and desperation. It was in the middle of the night. People were going to the village hall but ended up at the Red Lion pub instead. The situation was a mess. There was problems with the road being closed because of the wash going back into people's houses."

Tom Wells, also a district councillor, suggested the parish council send a letter of thanks to the landlord for his "community-minded response".

Councillor Wells added: "The landlord was an absolute star. The Environment Agency did not issue a household warning. They have a system of telephone calls to let people know but this level of flooding was not anticipated by the EA."

Other plans to deal with the flooding now being considered by the parish council include a secure bunker or "dry house" for sandbags.

The wooden shelter, if built, would mean the sandbags would be ready to use if flooding happens again, keeping them from getting damp and disintegrating in the meantime.

A location for the bunker has yet to be agreed.

However, the parish council is not planning to set up a flood relief fund for residents affected by future floods following a request by a resident.

Coun Jim Allsopp said the parish council should not be "directly involved" and chairman Andy Lamb said the idea of a relief fund was "a can of worms" for the parish council.

However, the parish council did agree to set up a working party to examine how they can help with future flooding.

A Powick Floodzone Plan has now been set up - residents can now have vital telephone numbers at their fingertips, including the Environment Agency helpline, district councillors contacts and the number of the parish hall keyholder.