Make sure your neighbour has an emergency contact number for you. You may be at work when the flood happens – if they’re at home, then at least they can either keep you informed if it’s just looking like a flood is imminent, or if it all happens very quickly, at least you can start making arrangements, including getting home straight away.

Make sure you know what your escape routes are. It’s very easy to get caught up in trying to protect your property and possessions – but don’t forget you have to get yourself (and your family out). It’s easy to assume that you can get out via a garden gate, but don’t forget, a large volume of water is very heavy and can mean you are trapped by doors and gates.

Keep a supply of large laundry bags downstairs that you can just throw things into in an emergency to get them out of the way and upstairs.

Don’t keep important paperwork and files in any storage close to ground level – they’ll be the first to go!

I flooded in 2003 following the opening of Jubilee River. It was not possible to do anything to protect our property from flooding since the water table level rose to a point where water could be seen rising from skirting boards. There is little...

If you are unlucky enough to have been unaware that you purchased a property on a flood plain I can offer you a bit of advice, move. If you are unable to do, so then I recommend forming a local community pressure group to ensure the risk of...

We flooded here in Pentre, Shropshire in 1998 and 2000. We live on a flood plain and we are fortunate in the sense that we do not suffer flash floods but have fair warning of an imminent flood. We also do not suffer sewage in our homes. We should,...