EXPERTS have recommended four new areas of Worcester should be protected with temporary flood barriers, like those along Hylton Road.

Pitchcroft Lane, in Barbourne, Croft Road, near Pitchcroft car park, Dolday and Newport Street, both off North Parade, and Quay Street, at the back of Worcester College of Technology, were all listed in an Environment Agency study of the city's 11 flood risk areas as potential sites for barriers.

But Mary Dhonau, chairman of Worcester Action Against Flooding, said she didn't expect all four of them to go ahead.

Only those areas where a substantial number of houses and roads are affected by flooding will qualify for Government funding.

"The places that stand the best chance of getting defences are the ones that prevent the greatest impact on the lives of people in Worcester during a flood," she said.

"Now it is really a matter for the policy rules and guidelines governing the temporary barriers to be written up."

Peter May, the Environment Agency's area flood defence manager, confirmed: "That process is taking place now, with proposals being put forward in the spring."

Hylton Road is the only area in the country that is protected by the £600,000 temporary pallet barriers, which were last used in February 2004.

Any hopes for permanent flood barriers for Worcester have been dashed as it could be decades before any funding is received.

"To get permanent defences it has to cost no more than the area that it is protecting. It has to be of equal value," added Mrs Dhonau.

"There is also a priority score which is a very difficult, bureaucratic process we have to go through.

"It is marked out of 44. To qualify for permanent defences it is 20 points.

"The most Worcester gets is for Hylton Road, which is six."

Peter Sterry, who has run The Quayside Restaurant, Quay Street, for three-and-a-half years, said it has been flooded twice in that time.

He said that he was delighted by the recommendation.

The other flood risk areas that were examined in the report - carried out at the end of last year - were Waterworks Road, near Gheluvelt Park, Hylton Road, St John's, Hylton Road/Tybridge Street/ New Road, near Cripplegate Park, Diglis Avenue, Diglis Basin, Waverley Street/ Cavendish Street and Toronto Close, Lower Wick.