Oxford's flood defences are to be strengthened with new £200,000 barriers, the Environment Agency has announced.

The news was welcomed as an early Christmas present by residents, who proposed the idea of temporary flood barriers in vulnerable parts of the city.

The temporary defences will be deployed at specific locations on Osney Island when flooding is expected and removed after waters have receded.

Used together with pumps, they will protect up to 75 properties from minor flood events from the river and rain water. The Agency is now advertising for suppliers to provide the defences.

Geoff Bell, the EA's area flood risk manager, said: "These demountable defences are the right solution for Osney Island, and will provide a good standard of protection to some of the homes in Oxford which have been hit by flooding three times in the past seven years. These will not increase the risk of flooding to properties downstream.

"This bespoke type of defence is only suitable in certain areas - it is not suitable for every area at risk of flooding.

"Since the July floods we have been working hard with residents and local councils to find suitable short-term solutions for some of the properties at risk of flooding in Oxford."

The barriers will be placed on parts of East Street, West Street and South Street to protect properties along a 270-metre stretch. They will be stored at the Environment Agency's Osney Mead depot in Oxford.

It is the first in a number of measures which the agency is looking to implement over the next 18 months.

Richard Thurston, of the Osney Island Residents' Association, said: "This is great news for us to receive at Christmas.

"Of course, we will not know if it will work until it is tested for the first time. We recognise that it is the duty of the EA to get the best value for money for tax payers, but we hope it can get through the procurement process quickly."

Residents were so keen to show the benefits of the scheme to the EA they held a demonstration of an air-filled barrier on Osney Island two weeks ago. The barrier was brought down from a company in Scotland.

The first hardship payments for victims of the July flooding in Oxfordshire have been paid out under the Red Cross grant scheme. Sixteen vulnerable households received an average of £1,250 each from the charity's Flood Grant Distribution Board.

It comes out of a sum of £252,000 allocated by the charity for Oxfordshire, and is targeted at people living on a low income or benefits, the disabled, elderly and single parents.

People who have not yet applied and think they can claim should contact Oxford City Council or their local district council.