Floods brought chaos to Kidlington and Banbury in Easter 1998.
More than 350 people were forced to flee their homes after the River Cherwell burst its banks.
Victims suffered up to three feet of water swamping their homes and then faced negotiations with insurance companies to recover their losses.
Cherwell District Council set up a fund to help more than three dozen families in Kidlington and Banbury whose homes were not insured against flood damage.
There also was controversy when it was claimed that Kidlington residents were 'sacrificed' by the opening of floodgates to protect Banbury.
Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council demanded an explanation from the Environment Agency on the effects of opening the floodgates above Kidlington. But the Environment Agency joined forces with British Waterways to dismiss the claims.
In Banbury, the Spiceball Park Leisure Centre suffered 1m worth of damage, and residents reported seeing rats and sewage.
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