Flood defences ‘not up to required standard’

Fewer than half of the country’s defences in high risk flooding areas are at the required level, the National Audit Office said.

And overall the Environment Agency, which is responsible for sea and river defences, had failed in its aim of keeping 63 per cent of the country’s flood systems in target condition.

An all party Commons committee of MPs is calling on the Agency to explain why it was failing to meet its targets.