Flood lessons must be learned

The people blaming climate change for the disastrous floods which have destroyed so many homes and businesses should be told that this has happened before.

Sadly the lesson of not building on flood plains has still to be learned.

River dredging and flood alleviation works have been stopped to "save the environment" and wildlife, rather than people's homes.

In June 1917, even worse floods devastated Britain, but the war was more important and the news was suppressed.

Then, as now, houses, bridges and food crops were devastated in the "wettest June ever", so clearly this is not a fault of recent man-made weather changes.

Maybe once in 90 years is a risk worth taking, but to build tens of thousands of new homes in places such as the Thames Estuary is sheer folly.

All new homes should be built above flood levels - never mind green belt policies - and rivers, drains, sewers and dams should be maintained so as to plan for future flooding. Will they never learn?

W Kerswell, Picklescott