FLOOD-HIT home-owners in Amesbury are calling for urgent investment in the town’s drainage system to prevent any further flooding.

Homes in the town needed tens of thousands of pounds of work after a storm last July resulted in water gushing into their homes.

Thinking it was a one off, residents were horrified on June 16 when torrential rain led to more flooding.

After calling a meeting among those affected last week, residents formed an action group and are now demanding action from Wiltshire Council.

Adam Woods who has lived in Church Street for 22 years believes the problem lies with overloaded drains due to the many new developments in the town.

“On July 4 last year, water came spewing through the front door of our house and under the walls severely flooding our living, dining, bath and utility rooms, together with the kitchen,” he said.

“Being a cob cottage, it has to dry out for months before any work can begin. It has cost a considerable amount to repair the damage and was still not ready when two weeks ago it all happened again.

“We went to the council last time and got a very basic response - we pay £200 month in council tax, and the council earns tax each month on all the new builds in the town but where is the reinvestment?

“It is completely inequitable. We want real investment and remedy of the problems.

“We have got to get this fixed.”

Mr Woods said last year’s flooding was the first time in living memory the cottage had flooded.

Simon Kuczera was another resident badly hit in Flower Lane, Amesbury, and has spent the last year chasing Wiltshire Council for action over his insurance claim.

On Friday he received a response from the council’s solicitors saying it rejected his claim for compensation because the problem was excessive rainfall rather than a drainage problem.

He said: “Last July water cascaded down Salisbury Road leaving a lagoon outside my house and the next door neighbour’s - the only place it can go is into our houses.

“The fire brigade came and pumped everything out. It caused £15k damage with all the ground floor having to be ripped up and replaced.

“Over the last year, I have only ever had apologies from the council that nothing has been finalised because of ongoing investigations and now I am given a totally inadequate response which ignores all the facts underpinning the causes and reason for my claim.

“They claim everybody matters but I don’t matter one iota. They do nothing about upgrading or resolving the draining issues in Salisbury Road.

“Two weeks ago we were very lucky and only the porch was flooded but there is no question about it - if we get another heavy downfall exactly the same thing is going to happen again.

“This has been my childhood home and before last July, it had never flooded.”

On Thursday residents are organising another meeting at the Antrobus Arms Hotel to discuss the situation.

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said: “We are always happy to work with residents to deal with any issues, and also work with town and parish councils on local flood plans to ensure the whole community is taken into account.

"Representatives from Amesbury Town Council regularly attend the Southern Operational Flood Working Group and the recent flooding will be discussed at the next meeting with all of the statutory authorities who may be able to assist in the reduction of flood risk within Wiltshire.

“We carried out visual inspections in Church Street in October 2015 and a senior drainage engineer met with the resident onsite last week. However, we have already offered to carry out a CCTV survey of the drainage system to determine if there is any damage or blockages that may be contributing to the flooding issues.

“We always encourage local property owners to take every measure to protect their own properties.”