THE Environment Agency will be holding two public meetings next week to discuss flood defence options for two hard-hit communities.

South Church, near Bishop Auckland, and nearby West Auckland, both in County Durham, were devastated by the floods in June.

Many people lost all their possessions and were left homeless.

Work has already begun on a £500,000 scheme to repair the damaged council properties, and it is hoped tenants will be back in their homes by Christmas.

They will have the chance to question Peter Kerr, a flood defence manager for the Environment Agency, when he reveals proposals to prevent the floods ocurring again.

At the public meetings, display boards will be used to supplement a talk on the options for flood defence.

They include creating flood storage reservoirs, local defences, channel widening, a relief water channel in South Church and increased maintenance of the river.

"We will be presenting the options to residents and requesting their feedback at the meeting and after it. There will be a questionnaire for them to fill in," said a spokesman for the Environment Agency.

The first meeting will be held next Monday, at the Territorial Army Centre in Bishop Auckland, at 6pm.

The following evening, a meeting will be held at St Helen Auckland Primary School, at 6pm.