Winter floods affected hundreds of homes in Worcestershire

But thousands more across the region were protected by flood defences, according to a report going before county councillors this week.

Storm Babet (October 18-21) is known to have affected at least 225 homes and 108 businesses in the county and contributed to the highest monthly rainfall ever recorded at the Civic Centre in Pershore in October 2023 (177mm).

The second highest total came in December (133mm) and November’s total was also above average.

Storm Gerrit (December 27-28) contributed to the wet weather at the end of the year and its effects were still being felt when Storm Henk (January 2) arrived.

Worcestershire County Council says at least 145 homes and 94 businesses were impacted by Storm Henk - but about 6,700 properties across the English Severn and Wye region benefited from main river flood defences during that time.

In the past 12 months, council highways teams delivered more than 150 road drainage schemes.

This included the installation of more than 100 new gullies to relieve drainage issues, the replacement of more than 2,000 metres of drainage pipes and the digging of more than 1,000 metres of ditches as part of new works or maintenance.

Ongoing work includes the construction of a flood wall and embankment in the rear gardens of properties in Toronto Close and Teme Court in Worcester.

FLOODED: Toronto Close in 2020 (Image: Newsquest)

This will reduce the flood risk to 26 properties.

Work started in late November and despite the site flooding several times over the winter, it is expected to be completed as scheduled in August 2024.

A scheme to reduce the flood risk in Diglis Avenue is also on the list of plans for the council to revisit, the report shows, although there are no dates or costs currently attached to the project.

An initial feasibility study was carried out in July 2021 and officers are planning to take another look in order to identify viable options in light of updated flood levels.