VILLAGERS have voiced their anger to Government agencies over repeated flooding of their homes.

Residents of Gilling West, near Richmond, blame extra tarmac on the widened A66 for forcing more water downhill to the village, but engineers say drainage installed as part of the road dualling scheme works well.

A public meeting was held on Thursday after homes in the village were flooded twice in a week in July.

Angry householders, who saw up to 3ft of water rush through their homes, say that the extra tarmac on the A66 means there is less land to soak up rain water.

Alan Bunting, of Mouchel Parkman, which is managing the A66 scheme, said the drains and three balancing ponds installed as part of the project had lessened the risk of flooding.

He and North Yorkshire County Council engineers invited parish council representatives to tour the site and see the drainage.

Highways experts said flash floods on July 19 were caused by unusually heavy rain after one of the wettest Junes on record, which meant land was already saturated when the storm hit.

Brian Metcalfe, parish council chairman, said drainage must be improved and better maintained on the road and surrounding farmland, and that the Gilling beck should be straightened, widened and dredged to remove silt.

"Whenever it rains, people in this village become fearful that they will yet again be flooded," he told the authorities.

"The flood damage is devastating to those affected."

The meeting, which attracted about 60 people, heard that the River Authority, part of the Environment Agency, had fitted a flow gauge and would clear vegetation from the stream.

A flood risk map of the village had been drawn up and a feasibility study would be completed next year.

Mike Woodford, the county council's area highways manager, said gullies were cleaned twice a year, against national requirements of one annual clean, and had been cleared in April. The second clean-out is due next week.

Roadside ditches were the responsibility of landowners, but the council would clear them if it had machinery in the area, he said