FLOOD victims were outraged when a calendar showing rivers bursting their banks was sent to them through the post.

Recipients have branded the Environment Agency's actions as insulting and insensitive.

The agency has apologised to anyone who was offended but said the calendar was designed to give practical help.

It features photographs of rivers across the North-East and North Yorkshire in full flood.

The calendar has been sent by the agency to people who use its Floodline telephone information service.

On the reverse of each picture, there are tips on how to deal with floods.

One page offers a colour-in picture of Inspector Downpaw, a cartoon cat dressed in a Mackintosh and wellies.

Stewart Chapman, who lives at Water End, in Brompton, near Northallerton, and was flooded in October 2001, said: "It is a bit of an insult looking at a calendar with pictures of floods when your own house has been under water.

"You hardly want to put that on your wall. A lot of people in the village are very annoyed because it is a complete waste of money, money that could be spent elsewhere."

One woman, whose house was flooded when the River Browney, near Durham City, burst its banks three years ago, said: "Being flooded is a pretty traumatic experience and I can't believe they have wasted all this public money on something like this.

"It is very insensitive. They should be spending money on helping us, so we don't get flooded again."

The Environment Agency defended the calendar, saying it raises awareness of the dangers of flooding.

However, Jean Varley, corporate affairs manager for the North-East region, said: "If people have been upset by the calendar, we would apologise.

"The intention was not to upset anyone but to draw attention to the message that flooding is a serious issue in those areas, in the same way that there are adverts for things like smoke alarms and drink-driving at Christmas."