FLOOD-hit Christchurch residents who have been embroiled in a row with the council have taken delivery of 250 donated sandbags.

Two lorries of sandbags were delivered to residents in Conifer Close to help them protect themselves from any future flooding.

The sandbags were funded by UKIP and delivery was arranged by prospective Parliamentary candidate Robin Grey, following a week in which Christchurch council’s stance on sandbags made national news.

Green Watch members from Christchurch fire station then visited and built the sandbags into walls.

The 250 sandbags donated by UKIP are in addition to 300 bags purchased by residents themselves.

Last week, under-fire Christchurch councillors said they would refund residents for the sandbags they had bought and would provide them with further sandbags.

But residents, many of whom are elderly, were unable to collect these from the council depot at Furzehill.

Resident Paul Richards said: “We’re feeling better now the sandbags are in place but nonetheless aggrieved at the trouble we’ve had.

“The people who have helped us are not the people you would expect to help. We’re very grateful to them.

“We do feel we‘ve got a first line of emergency defence now, it’s only a first line and could well be breached, but it’s better than nothing.”

He said residents would be making a donation to Green Watch’s charity of choice to thank them for their help.