A flood and bad weather fair was put on by the Town Council at both Long Furlong  and Preston Road Community Centre.

There was an array of ingenious gadgets designed to protect homes and possessions from floods.

There was the chance to pick up leaflets about what to do in the event of a flood, or other types of bad weather.

The Environment Agency were also there to explain more about the three flood mitigation schemes being looked at for Abingdon.

Central government is now putting more money in to flood prevention, but expects more money from local partners in return.

Feasibility studies have already been done on the two simpler Abingdon schemes: to reduce flooding from the River Stert, and the River Ock at St Helens Mill. They could get the go ahead for design in Spring 2015.

During 2015 data would also be gathered to model the River Thames (Sandford to south of Mapledurham) and the River Ock Storage Area.

A River Ock flood storage area is the long term flood prevention proposed for Abingdon. It would hold back water outside Abingdon and release it more slowly.

Modelling would first show whether a flood storage area on the River Ock is viable. If viable then a feasibility study could begin in 2016.

The River Ock scheme will be looked at separately from the Oxford scheme, and for either scheme to go ahead they must demonstrate they will not make flooding worse downstream.