BURTON residents battled to prevent their homes being damaged by rising flood waters on Saturday.

Stretches of Salisbury Road and Burley Road, which haven’t flooded for many years, were submerged at around 10am, threatening nearby houses.

In Salisbury Road neighbours brought out brooms, rakes and bags of builder’s gravel to protect the homes most at risk, with the water reaching the front door of one house.

Fire crew were still on the scene on Sunday morning with the road remaining closed.

There was also a large volume of standing was on several roads in the Winkton/Sopley area and drivers were urged to go with along the Avon Causeway.

Parish councillor Judy Jamieson was among those lending a helping hand.

She said: “We have been working flat out since about ten this morning to prevent this lady’s house from flooding, and we’re winning at the moment.

“One of the neighbours very kindly give us some sandbags they had to stop the water coming into the drive.

“It’s just not something you want to happen this close to Christmas.

“We’re just waiting for Wessex Water or the council to come along and solve the problem.”

Firefighters from Christchurch set up a pump to reduce the water level, and blocked up a nearby culvert channelling water run-off from nearby fields.

Christchurch station manager Dave Arundel said: “The drainage ditches in the fields alongside have been cleared recently so all the water is running down here.

“We think a lot of the rubbish which was in the ditches has washed down into the surface water drain here and blocked it up, making the situation even worse.

“We have put a pump in place and blocked up the ditch, and we have asked the local authority to clear the drain.

“If they come down and do that today it should solve the problem. There is a lot of rain coming which could make it difficult for us to stay on top of things.”