VILLAGERS who cleared a weed-filled brook to prevent flooding have been declared flood heroes.

The Hanneys Flood Group was presented with the award for ‘best example of community action to reduce flood risk’ at a ceremony organised by the Environment Agency and Witney MP David Cameron.

The event, at Langdale Hall, Witney, on Friday, praised what individuals and communities had done to stop rising floodwater in the county and the Thames Valley.

People from East and West Hanney formed their group after heavy rain hit the villages several times between June 2007 and June 2008, with 46 homes affected in July 2007.

Eighteen months ago, 100 volunteers cleared Letcombe Brook of sludge, silt and weeds. They also built up the bank with 120 tonnes of soil and removed four tonnes of gravel by hand from under a village bridge.

Stewart Scott, chairman of the Hanneys Flood Group, said: “It’s not the winning, it’s being able to encourage and learn from other flood groups to continue our work and learn from other people.

“It’s about reducing people’s fear of flooding.

“A lot of times people were fearful of it raining, now people are more relaxed. People feel positive that something is being done about it.”

Environment Agency flood risk manager Barry Russell said the group was exemplary for its focus and community spirit.

He said: “On the national stage they are one of the groups that has cracked it.”

Another Oxfordshire group nominated for its work was the Oxford Flood Alliance, while Philippa Carter from Ascott-under-Wychwood was recognised for campaigning to clear flood arches under a road bridge in the village.

Meanwhile, villagers in Eynsham built a clay bund after the Chil Brook flooded eight homes near Station Road, and the Witney Flood Action Group organised river maintenance and flood protection devices for homes in the West End area of the town.

Richard Thurston, of the Oxford Flood Alliance, said small improvements locally had significantly reduced the flood risk.

He added: “I feel our biggest achievement is that we have brought some quite disparate and competing communities in the western side of Oxford together.”

Mr Cameron said: “There’s not going to be a huge amount of money over the next few years, whoever is in power, and we need to be a more neighbourly society in the future and not always rely on the Government to do things for us.”

eallen@oxfordmail.co.uk