RESIDENTS in a flood-hit North-East village are being offered daily advice sessions and updates in the village's community centre.

The afternoon meetings in the centre at Skinningrove, east Cleveland, began on Tuesday, with a doctor's visit, detailing a series of post-flood health hazards.

Yesterday, Cleveland Police were advising residents on security and today, a representative from the Citizens Advice Bureaux will be on hand.

Work is continuing to assess damage at the 100 affected properties.

They are split into four groups - council houses, Endeavour Housing Association properties, tenants with landlords and owner-occupiers.

Joe Youmans, project coordinator for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "The residents are finding the advice sessions very useful and it is our intention to make them a daily event.

"We are progressing well in assessing each of the council properties, as well as the other homes in the village.

"We are in the process of drawing up work schedules for each home and we hope soon to be in a position to detail the times these works will take."

After a visit to the affected area Barbara Harpham, Conservative group leader at the council, said: "I just was not prepared for what I saw and will never forget the scene of heartbreaking damage and misery."

Councillor Harpham said she was angry, because the situation could have been avoided.

"The council should have done what the local people had been telling them for years - clean out the beck and raise the height of the bridge."

The council has said it will look to improve the beck to reduce the impact of future flash flooding.