A report on the floods that affected wide areas of the country during the summer has warned that urgent steps need to be taken to cope with worse flooding to come.Sir Michael Pitt, Chairman of the South West Strategic Health Authority, was asked by Ministers to conduct an independent review of the flooding emergency during June and July.
Presenting his interim report, Sir Michael said it did not point the finger of blame at anyone for the problems.
However, the report recommends that a national emergency framework should be urgently developed by the Government to avoid a repeat of the summer's devastating floods.
Other recommendations include no buildings to be constructed in flood risk areas that are not flood-resilient, and water companies, local authorities and other bodies to draw up proposals for investment in the drainage network.
The torrential downpour which deluged large swathes of the country causing billions of pounds-worth of damage were a "wake-up call" for the country, the report concludes. (Sky News)
