IRATE residents whose homes have been flooded in recent years have told a council to improve its response to extreme weather conditions.

A Middlesbrough Council working party set up to investigate flooding found that residents whose homes and gardens were filled with sewage during heavy rainfall were dissatisfied with the help offered by the authority.

Yesterday, the group presented a report to the council's overview and scrutiny board containing 15 recommendations aimed at improving flooding procedures.

Working party chairman Councillor Frances McIntyre said: "We consulted about 25 members of the public - people who had actually been flooded. These people were irate and I do not blame them. They wanted something doing."

The report, while highlighting the council's failings, criticises Northumbrian Water for the way it deals with complaints about sewer flooding, and urges the council to lobby the company for an extended sewage network.

"What people do not understand is that their first port of call should be Northumbrian Water," said Coun McIntyre. "Obviously we will go along and help. But Northumbrian Water has to be placed under maximum pressure to react to the sewage floodings. They need to work much more closely with us."

Northumbrian Water rejected the criticism.

Communications manager Andrew Panting said: "We are very disappointed at the tone of the report. It gives the impression that we have not been involved, yet we have attended the scrutiny boards and met residents.

"What we cannot do is wave a magic wand and make the water disappear. Bigger sewers do not necessarily mean less flooding."

The report recommended that the council:

* Maintains becks and watercourses all year round to stop problems arising during heavy rainfall

* Produces a leaflet giving people advice on what to do during a flood

* Establishes a relief fund for vulnerable families to help with preventative measures and post-flood clean-ups

* Compiles a list of vulnerable people for evacuation during flooding.

"Much of the report is common sense," said Coun McIntyre.

"The council has been reactive to flooding but now it will be proactive.

"If flooding is going to be a feature of life, which weather patterns suggest, then we have got to be prepared for it."

The recommendations were approved and will shortly go before the executive board