Work is due to begin on a major barrier to protect homes from flooding.

The £260,000 scheme will protect around 150 homes in Kidlington from the sort of floods that devastated the village three years ago.

At the time, more than 350 people were evacuated, homes were awash with sewage, 10m damage was caused and one elderly resident blamed the death of her husband on the trauma caused when the River Cherwell burst its banks.

In the aftermath of the flooding, the Environment Agency was criticised by an independent inquiry for failing to warn residents of the deluge and it responded by carrying out a detailed study of flood defences in Kidlington, which led to the current scheme.

The plans include constructing raised earth banks and brick floodwalls from Bicester Road past Watermead to Mill End to resist floodwater.

Project manager Nikki Brown said: "Everyone remembers the chaos and heartache caused by floods at the end of last year, once this scheme is completed, scenes like that will be a thing of the past in Kidlington.

"This is an exciting scheme which will bring many benefits for local residents."

The original plans had to be redrawn to avoid certain houses when some residents raised objections that their land would be affected.

Construction work was due to start in January 2001, but this had to be deferred due to poor weather conditions and saturated ground.

It is now scheduled to be finished by June.

The footpath running from Cherwell Avenue and Bicester Road and the bridleway from Mill End to Cherwell Avenue will be closed.

Ms Brown said: "We want to thank the residents of Kidlington and the district and parish councils for their support of the scheme.

"The agency will keep the disruption at a minimum while the work is carried out."