PM vows help for flooding victims

Nov 25 2012

Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken of his shock at the flooding which has hit large parts of Britain, and he promised to "ensure everything is being done to help" after a woman died in the chaos.

The woman became the second victim to die as a result of this week's horrendous weather.

She was killed in Western Way, Exeter, when she was trapped under a fallen spruce tree which injured two others on Saturday night.

On Thursday, a man died when his car became wedged under a bridge near to a ford at Rectory Fields, in Chew Stoke, Somerset.

On Twitter, Mr Cameron said: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

He made the comment as the weather appeared to improve, but the Environment Agency continued to issue flod warnings.

One severe flood warning - the highest alert possible - is in place for the River Cober at Helston in Cornwall. River levels are rising and imminently expected to flood out into the lower areas of the town causing significant hazard, the agency said.

It has also issued 221 flood warnings and 267 less-serious flood alerts - with nearly all parts of England and Wales affected but particularly the South West and Midlands.

Tom Hudson, landlord of the Rose and Crown pub just a few yards from the river at Malmesbury, Wiltshire, said: "The water is just outside the door. It's gone down a lot but I'm trying to get hold of some sandbags because more rain is forecast for later. Houses across the road have been flooded to a depth of three or four feet, with furniture floating around in the rooms.

"I've been here 14 years and there were floods in 2000 and again in 2007 but this is much worse than either of those."