A council's chief executive has rapped the Met Office for failing to provide a severe weather warning about floods which left dozens homeless in Kidlington and Banbury.

Cherwell District Council's Grahame Handley criticised the National Weather Centre for failing to provide adequate warning for the Easter flooding.

Earlier this month, an independent review team was set up to examine the aftermath of the chaos.

In some areas most affected by the flooding, including Kidlington, the review panel found there was poor forecasting, a slow reaction by emergency teams and confusion among the public.

The Environment Agency also came in for criticism for its poor liaison with the emergency services.

Mr Handley said the council was forced to telephone the Met Office when it became clear there was a danger of flooding.

He said: "By mid to late morning we had not received any severe weather warning, so one of the senior officers phoned the Met Office and we had some difficulty getting through.

"We did get through eventually on an emergency number and my colleague was advised that the front that was over north Oxfordshire was dissipating and this was not a matter we needed to be greatly concerned by."

The review team has also demanded more detailed analysis of the four areas worst affected, including Kidlington, which flooded when the River Cherwell burst its banks.

The review, commissioned in April and led by chairman Peter Bye, will complete its findings by September 30.

No-one from the Environment Agency or the Met Office was available for comment.

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