WORRIED residents who fear they will be struck again by devastating floods, heard plans that should avert another disaster.

In a highly emotional meeting on Monday, officials put forward proposals that ought to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic floods that hit South Church and West Auckland this summer.

A board of experts from bodies including Durham County Council, Wear Valley District Council and the Environment Agency, explained the options they were looking at and the work done over the last three months. The Environment Agency are currently considering four options that include:

l Storing flood water upstream in reservoirs.

l Creating flood walls and embankments.

l Widening the river by about 10m and lowering the river bed through West Auckland and South Church.

l Creating a culvert which bypasses the loop on the river at South Church.

The panel also fielded a barrage of angry questions from people in the packed Territorial Army hall. Many are still living in caravans while they wait for their water-damaged homes to be repaired.

Wear Valley councillor John Lethbridge, claimed not enough was being done.

He said: "You can't underestimate the strength of feeling of the people in here. You have people who can't sleep at night, who have nightmares. They've been living in awful conditions. These people are suffering a trauma and no mater what you say, I suspect these plans will come down to a price.

"I suggest to you there's been sufficient studies of floods done in the world and you could have a study done quickly. We want to see some action soon."

After the meeting, Peter Kerr, flood defence and water resources manager for the Environment Agency, said the date for completion of the flood defences depended on factors such as planning permission, agreements with landowners and construction.

l A meeting to discuss flood defences for West Auckland was held on Tuesday night.