FLOOD-hit residents have been told nothing can be done to solve a brook's flooding until a review has been completed.

Representatives of the Environment Agency broke the news to residents of Haydon Wick during a meeting last night at the parish council offices.

Councillors originally set up the meeting to update residents after the brook almost broke its banks last month.

However, agency specialists said that although they know certain problems exist, a flooding review of the area - the Haydon Wick Flood Alleviation Plan - would have to be completed before any action was taken.

Residents were also told that the review would be completed in August but there was no date for when the work would be done.

They were promised in the meantime tubing which carries the water under footpaths would be cleaned out.

People have been pressing the Environment Agency and Thames Water to take urgent action since devasting floods last July left many parts of Haydon Wick under water.

Peter Hall, the chairman of the Haydon Wick Emergency Committee, believes the brook needs to be widened and footpaths removed to help the water flow better.

He believes a review will only waste time in order to come up with a conclusion the residents are already aware of.

"All the residents know where the pinches are in the brook, we don't need a review to figure that out," he said.

"We need someone to follow this project through and to listen to the residents, the specialists here obviously do not know the area well."

Julie Jackson, who has suffered from flooding, said: "They came to this meeting to tell us that they have done essentially nothing."

Coun Rex Barnett is also calling for the brook to be widened.

He said: "This was an opportunity to hear what the Environment Agency is going to do about the brook.

"The people of Haydon Wick deserve to be able to sleep peacefully in their beds without worrying about flooding."