A government agency has been criticised after Abingdon householders were left standing knee deep in flood water last month.

Householders in Chilton Close have said they felt “helpless” and couldn’t believe how much water was entering their homes, after they rang the Environment Agency for help on March 31.

A flood alert was issued by the Environment Agency for the Abingdon area on Friday, March 31, and two officers from the agency were reported to have visited Chilton Close earlier in the day at 4.30pm.

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When flood water started to enter the Close and rise, a householder Wendy Wirdaum said she phoned the Environment Agency at 10pm to ask for help but nobody came.

The Environment Agency has been approached for comment but declined to comment.

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Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran has said she has raised the “concerning case of Chilton Close with the Environment Agency, to ask them how this happened and what steps will be taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

Ms Moran added: “I won’t stop campaigning for improved flood defences until the residents of Abingdon, Botley, Sunningwell, South Hinksey, Yarnton and elsewhere get the protection from flooding they deserve.

“We need to properly fund our Environment Agency so it’s able to protect our villages and towns and prevent the misery of flooded homes in the future.”

Oxford Mail: Car in flood water at Chilton CloseCar in flood water at Chilton Close (Image: Contributed)

It is understood that Ms Moran is also working with Abingdon North councillor Dr Nathan Ley to put pressure on the agency to provide answers.

Ms Wirdaum said the flooding “wasn’t nice” and she “couldn’t believe it was happening”.

Nic Crawford, a Chilton Close householder and owner of the Spread Eagle pub, criticised the Environment Agency for their response and said he believed the nearby culvert was the cause of the flooding.

Mr Crawford said: “It was unbelievable how much flood water poured into our close”.

He added: “We did feel helpless.

“There was so much water coming into our homes in such a short space of time.”

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Mr Crawford said he now faced a bill of £30,000 upwards to get the floor back in the same condition as it was before the flooding.

In the same week Chilcot Close was flooded, the Tesco extra in Abingdon was forced to close for two days on Sunday, April 2, after floodwater from the River Ock deluged the car park.

The severe flooding in South Oxfordshire also led to fire fighters having to rescue a van driver in West Hanney after he became trapped in a flood.

The incident occurred on the road towards Denchworth, and firefighters from Abingdon Fire Station were called to the emergency and rescued the man in a canoe.

The lane in West Hanney was completely flooded due to the recent heavy rainfall.