Worcestershire County Council is urging local people to sign up for flood warnings to make sure they are prepared.

The council’s emergency planning team is reminding anyone who lives in or near an area that might flood to sign up to the Environment Agency’s Floodline Warnings Direct.

The free service allows subscribers to receive up-to-date warnings about possible floods that might affect them by landline, mobile phone, text message or fax.

The council’s advice comes after the devastating floods in Cumbria and other parts of the UK.

There are currently no flood warnings in place in Worcestershire, but the river Severn is listed as on flood watch status.

After the floods in 2007, the council, along with the Environment Agency, Worcestershire County Council Highways, Severn Trent Water and neighbouring councils set up the Worcestershire Land Drainage Partnership, which has taken a number of steps to help people prepare for flooding.

Councillor Simon Geraghty, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for planning, economy and performance, said: “It’s extremely important that people do everything they can to help themselves.

“We’re better prepared for flooding now than we were in 2007, but it’s vital that we all take action before an incident occurs, rather than waiting for it to happen.”

Your Worcester News reported yesterday on angry homeowner David Higgins, of Waterworks Road, Barbourne, Worcester, who said the line was not being updated quickly enough.

To register for alerts, residents should call Floodline on 0845 9881188, or visit the Environment Agency’s website at environment-agency. gov.uk