FLOOD-hit homeowners have reacted angrily to news that Abingdon will not get new flood defences to protect against future deluges.

Last week, the Environment Agency (EA) admitted its preferred options for preventing a repeat of last July's floods did not meet national funding criteria.

That has brought a public outcry from residents.

Last year, 433 homes and 21 businesses by the River Ock in the town flooded.

More than a year later, 43 families have still not returned to their homes.

Comments have been posted on the Herald website from readers angry that there is not more funding available.

Neil Fawcett, of Abingdon, said: "We were flooded and out of our house for nearly a year.

"They are still finishing off the work on the house - we only got running water back in the kitchen yesterday.

"If it is the case that there is not enough funding for Abingdon, it is simply a demonstration that the Government is not putting nearly enough in overall."

The EA had proposed building walls and embankments along the River Ock, creating flood storage areas upstream of the town, and also knocking down the disused St Helen's Mill Bridge. The agency's preferred options would cost between £3m and £3.5m, but it said that it would not apply for funding from the Government as it knew it would be refused.

Paul Haggen, spokesman for the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs, insisted the Government was not to blame.

He said: "We need to ensure that taxpayers' money is used to best effect and the Government asks the Environment Agency to prioritise its spending on defences against a number of criteria, including potential costs and benefits.

"We will continue to invest heavily in community improvements, but it is not possible to defend everywhere."

Members of South Abingdon Flood Action Group were shocked that the town was not a high enough priority.

Member Brian Hedley, of Drayton Road, said: "We know if the Environment Agency does not get money from the Government, then we are in a cleft stick as the Government is cutting money back everywhere.

"These things need to be looked at and addressed."

Linda Joel, of Tower Close, was flooded out of her home for ten months.

She said: "I think it's absolutely appalling. What happens if we are flooded again? Nobody knows if it's going to flood again tomorrow, or the day after that. We don't know. We need defences now."

Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris said: "It's not acceptable for schemes that would protect Abingdon to be judged to be not cost-effective simply because they don't meet a threshold, because that threshold is itself set from inadequate central funding."

3:00pm Wednesday 6th August 2008