RESIDENTS in a community hit by floods in June have not slept for nights.

The people of South Church, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, watch the rising River Gaunless in terror, wondering when it will flood into their homes for the second time this year.

Many of them had just found a semblance of normality and begun redecorating. Those in caravans were hoping to be back in their homes by Christmas.

But now emotions are running as high as the water levels and, after receiving a flood alert, all they can do is watch and wait.

"When we got the telephone call with the flood warning my stomach just churned and I thought 'here we go again'," said Rosalind Galley, 63.

"It is the fear of losing everything. You are just waiting all the time and you get so worked up you can't sleep."

Joanne Greathead, 29, was evacuated from a caravan near the river on Thursday night.

She said: "What keeps me going? The prospect of getting in my house eventually.

"But the house isn't my own any more, because it's been invaded by something I can't stop."

According to Adrian Skinner, clinical psychologist based at Harrogate District Hospital, North Yorkshire, feeling helpless and seeking someone to blame will be two of the common emotions among the flood victims.

He said: "You could say when they were flooded before they felt helpless, but they were thinking they could fix it. Now they're going to feel more helpless because it's not a once-in-a-lifetime event.

"Another reaction is there must be someone to blame, which is quite difficult when it comes down to the weather."

He said people might experience post traumatic symptoms. Some would react by saying they must do something, such as build a wall or get the council to do it. Others would be very passive.

"They may find themselves in shock," said Mr Skinner. "Negative emotions will begin to subside when people see the light at the end of the tunnel."

For many residents in South Church and West Auckland, that light seems far away.

"We're all suffering from stress," said Norma Cooper. "When I heard we were on severe flood alert I couldn't get my breath. You panic but there's nothing you can do."

Yesterday, many turned their anger on the Environment Agency and asked what use was the small row of sandbags the agency had left as a flood defence.

Joanne Greathead, who had to flee her caravan on Thursday night, said: "What use are they going to be? The most frustrating thing is they've had plenty of time to do something about it and they haven't done a thing."

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said: "We had agency staff on the ground and we took sandbags and had pumps in the area. This protected about 50 properties.