FOR millions of homeowners across the country, the chances of being struck by flooding are greater than the risk of a house fire.

Last year's floods, which brought large parts of the region to a standstill as emergency services and the Army battled to bail out stricken towns and even cities, were among the worst ever recorded.

Nationally, insurers paid out £242m in domestic flood claims and the total figure for weather-related damage was more than £1bn.

The aftermath of the crisis brought promises from the Government of improved protection against the effects of flooding.

But with defence schemes likely to take years to install, residents of the 1,600 homes across the North-East and North Yorkshire, which were hit last year, will be on tenterhooks again.

As the winter flood season started this week, local authorities and the Environment Agency launched awareness campaigns telling homeowners how to deal with and prevent flood damage.

The agency has issued advice on damage limitation, explaining measures to keep floodwater out, and including improvements to makes homes more flood resistant.

But poor weather conditions this year are still likely to bring misery again to South Church and West Auckland, in County Durham, as well as to the flooding blackspots of Malton and Norton, North Yorkshire.

Temporary defences are in place at South Church, while a £4.1m scheme to protect Malton and Norton has been approved by councillors.

However, Government permission is still needed and residents are concerned about rumours that work could be put back to late November - the height of the flooding season.

Di Keal, who has led a Norton action group, said: "There is an awful lot of anxiety down here. Last week, we had persistent rain and the river shot up. We had a lot of phone calls from worried people wondering what to do."

Tony Andryszewski, of the Environment Agency, said dozens of schemes were planned for the next ten years, but were dependent on cash being made available.

These include work on the River Skerne in Darlington, as well as new sea defences for Redcar, in east Cleveland, and Whitby, North Yorkshire.

A major study is also planned for the area from the Tees Barrage to the sea, where local industry relies on sound defences.

But one local authority has already taken action to stave off a repeat of last year's devastation.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has invested more than £1m to shore up defences and provide an early warning system at Skinningrove.

And, although history suggests it is unlikely, if the region is be hit by a second flooding disaster in two years, the defences will soon be put to the test.