FAMILIES who fear a brook could flood their homes have called on experts to get to the bottom of the problem.

Residents in Field Avenue, Blackbird Leys, at the corner of Bulrush Road and Lobelia Road, watch the Northfield Brook nervously when it rains, hoping water does not spill over the banks into their gardens and homes.

On several occasions they say water has come within centimetres from their front doors, forcing cars and buses to be diverted.

Lobelia Road residents Jim and Mary Smith have been monitoring the problem for several years.

Last week they met to discuss the problem with city councillor Val Smith and experts from the Environment Agency.

Mrs Smith, 68, said: “It’s never come into the house, but it has come centimetres from the door so it’s quite serious.

“It’s very, very scary when it happens because it’s normally very quick.”

Mrs Smith, a resident in the road for 40 years, believes the problem has got worse since the Greater Leys estate was built.

She added: “They need to widen the brook.”

Valerie Hignell, 72, of Lobelia Road, said she had adapted her shed to stop garden equipment being ruined because it had flooded so often.

She said: “It came up to the door before and I had towels down in case it came inside.

“It’s worrying, when it rains the brook gets really high and the road looks like a river. People coming from the bus, they can’t even walk down, they have to paddle down.

“They need to widen the brook, something needs to be done.”

Elaine Edwards, 52, added: “It’s happened about four or five times in the last couple of years. Last time, it went in one of the sheds. You feel a bit trapped because you can’t get out.

Blackbird Leys city councillor Val Smith said: “The problem of flooding in Field Avenue and in Lobelia Road has raised concerns over the past few years.

“As the city and county councillor for the area I have worked with the city council, Thames Water and the Environment Agency to try to reach a solution.”

Environment Agency spokes-man Narinder Sokhi said: “This area has been identified as requiring investigation.

“We will investigate why the flooding is occurring, whether it is coming from the watercourse, surface water drainage systems, run-off or highway drainage.

“Once we understand the source of the flooding we will work with our partners to identify solutions to reduce the flood risk and we will continue to communicate our progress.”

Historic brook

THE Northfield Brook flows mainly through the Greater Leys estate and joins the Littlemore Brook, which runs into the Thames, at Littlemore.

Historians think the channel may have been man-made, perhaps to clear land for farming in the 9th or 10th centuries.

It was originally known as Black Brook.

In March 2008 engineers from Thames Water were forced to pump sewage into the brook after homeowners’ gardens were flooded with waste.