A TEENAGER'S death in Witney looks like accelerating measures to combat flash flooding.

As tributes were being paid to Max Sullivan-Webb, 17, who died in this week's flooding, there was mounting anger that the county's infrastructure had again failed to cope with a heavy deluge.

It has emerged that the Environment Agency was already considering a flood defence scheme in Eastfield Road, near to where the boy died, in response to pleas for action from residents. And it is now almost certain, in the wake of the tragedy, that flood storage ponds will be built on the estate, where residents said an accident "was waiting to happen".

With roads closed, homes flooded and schools shut as the county suffered major flooding for the third time in a year, both the Environment Agency and Thames Water face renewed criticism for denying vulnerable areas badly needed investment.

Failures in clearing overloaded drains and in repairing damaged culverts were among the issues raised by angry householders across the county.

Confusion over who is responsible for clearing individual ditches and maintaining water courses is also blamed for lack of action, with complaints that it is impossible to know whether landowners, local councils or the Environment Agency should be held to account under the present system.

Max Sullivan-Webb was trapped in a swollen culvert in fields about 200 years from the Eastfield Road estate. He died after becoming trapped in a culvert.

Local councillor Richard Langridge said: "We managed to get a CCTV camera put where the water enters the culvert to monitor flow. There is so much water the culvert cannot cope. I wanted a system of balancing ponds to hold the water coming off the fields to prevent it all coming down in a torrent.

"The EA told me they agreed but they did not have the funds. It is a complex solution The idea seemed to have been coming to fruition but it was not quick enough in this tragic case.

"The situation here has been getting worse. We've now had a death and we continue to have the road and our homes flooded."

Geoff Bell, area flood risk manager at the Environment Agency said: "We have been working with councils and the Witney Flood Action Group to identify ways to reduce the flood risk in Witney.

"One option to reduce flood riskin Eastfield Road is through floodwater storage or balancing ponds which could hold back some of the water and reduce the risk of flooding. We have secured funds to fully investigate this scheme with West Oxfordshire District Council.

"However, even if a scheme is implemented, at times the river would still flow strongly with flood waters, and the river flowing in to the culvert would be very fast and dangerous. Sadly, this tragic incident shows just how dangerous flood waters can be."

Mr Bell said that the trash screen at the culvert had been checked and cleared by EA staff four times on Tuesday, the last inspection taking place at 7pm.

In other flooded estates, however, failures to carry out basic repair work are being blamed for problems.

Firefighters had to be called out to assist pensioner Iris Lancaster, whose home in Kennington was flooded for the third time since January. Her family said the latest incident was down to a broken culvert.

Mrs Lancaster, 82, said: "We want the culvert repaired, but nothing ever seems to be done."

Residents on Didcot's Ladygrove estate, had to wade through water to get in and out of their road. Councillor Bill Service said: "Thames Water know there is a problem here with the drains. Assurances were made after the last lot of flooding in the area that this wouldn't happen again."

A Thames Water spokesman said: "An engineering study is ongoing to identify possible solutions."