Locals in a town hit by its worst flooding for decades have called for urgent action ahead of the return of stormy weather.
Attleborough Town Hall was packed to the rafters with people voicing their frustrations at an emergency meeting on Monday, with many believing the recent damage could have been avoided.
People complained they had warned authorities for years that blockages in the streams and drains posed a serious risk while others feared a new housing development on Norwich Road had affected drainage in the area.
Representatives from Breckland Council, Attleborough Town Council and flood experts from County Hall faced tough questions and have committed to a full investigation as to why Attleborough was hit so badly by the recent rain from Storm Babet.
READ MORE: Did new homes make town's flooding worse?
More than a hundred homes in the town and in nearby Besthorpe suffered extensive flooding earlier this month.
Lynn Shortt, 62, said she had been warning authorities for several years about blockages at a culvert behind her house.
She said: "It is really sad it took flooding of all of these homes for the authorities to take any notice.
"But they cannot ignore it now and something needs to be done."
A lack of clarity over who is responsible for maintaining the stream that flows through Mill Lane and Norwich Road has meant locals are having to precariously wade through six feet of water to clear debris daily but they are now demanding this changes.
Major Barry Wilson, a retired Salvation Army officer, said: "My home was flooded with seven inches of water. It is key the culverts are inspected as some are still blocked."
Breckland Council deputy chief executive Rob Walker committed to sending people out to investigate this as a priority ahead of the arrival of more heavy rain.
"This was a really constructive meeting. People are very concerned which is understandable" he said.
One of the biggest points of contention is the impact of The Gables development which is being built on land known to be a floodplain.
The Hill Group has said it is being delivered in line with approved planning permission and that a drainage system has been put in place that mitigates the risk of flooding.
But people who have lived in the town for decades complain they have never been flooded like this before and fear the new housing has meant there is nowhere for the water to go.
Barry Herber, a pensioner whose home in Norwich Road was swamped, said: "I never had any trouble until now - it seems a bit obvious."
The development had been refused by Breckland Council but that decision was overturned on appeal in 2015 - a point Mr Walker was keen to raise, placing blame on the Secretary of State for allowing the scheme to go ahead.
Garry Easter, who has been researching the history of flooding in Attleborough, called on authorities to investigate whether the flood mitigation measures at the site had been carried out properly.
"We need to make sure they are doing exactly what they say they are," he said.
While many left feeling reassured the cause of the flooding would be investigated fully, others were feeling nervous about the days ahead.
The community, which has just started the long process of clearing up their flood-ravaged homes, is waiting with bated breath ahead of the arrival of Storm Ciaran.
A flood alert is in place for parts of the town and high winds and heavy rain are expected.
Breckland Council and Attleborough Town Council both said lessons had been learnt and that they will work together to improve the emergency response to flooding.
The flooding risk will not disappear overnight but it is hoped that after the devastation, there will now be more drive to take long-term action to protect people's homes in the future.
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