River staff who helped residents battle against devastating floods fear their jobs could go.

Environment Agency staff and lock keepers won the gratitude of Oxfordshire residents for their work at the height of the crisis.

But there are now widespread fears that their jobs could be contracted out as part of a three-year savings package.

Many of the workers involved delivered sandbags and helped in the operations to pump water from properties.

The Environment Agency, facing a cut in funding from Government, is understood to be reviewing the jobs of craftsmen, fitters, tug crews and river maintenance staff.

Residents fear jobs could be outsourced and the standard of work could be hit with the safety of thousands of homes at stake.

Andrew Shacknove, of Mill Lane, Iffley, pictured, said: "It's distressing to learn the agency is considering out-sourcing many of the people who work on and know about our rivers.

Osney Island Residents' Association is to write to the agency to demand no cuts are made to the lock keeping budget.

The Environment Agency confirmed it was reviewing the number of manual staff it had, but said there were no plans to outsource the work of the people employed on the river.

And it said the ability to respond to a flooding crisis similar to what happened last month would not be compromised.