THE Government's Flood Minister visited Romsey today to see how the town has recovered since it was hit by flooding earlier this year.

Dan Rogerson was joined by the town's MP, Caroline Nokes, and county council leader Roy Perry as he inspected the town's defences and anti-flooding measures.

Fifty homes were affected as 40in of rain poured down into the town between December and February - the most since 1766.

Since then the Environment Agency, which has an office in the town, has repaired flood defences and cleared vegetation and waste from riverbanks in a bid to prevent residents having to leave their homes again in the future.

The agency is also working with residents to ensure they are better prepared in future, and plans are afoot for a permanent replacement for the temporary “cat flap” structure put up during the flooding to limit the flow of the River Test into the centre of Romsey.

Mr Rogerson was quizzed by residents during his visit.

Steve Langford who has only just moved back in to his home which was submerged in eight inches of flood water in mid-February got to speak to the minister. He said afterwards: “I am pleased he visited us but I am disappointed with the outcome.

"We need Hampshire County Council to develop a technical solution to this problem.

"We don’t know whether it is going to cost £50,000 or £500,000 but one thing for certain is it going to cost a lot of money.

"More Government money is needed to distribute to local authorities so they can use it where it is needed.”

Mr Langford believes flooding was made worse when the Army and Navy installed the ‘cat flap’ device in a bid to control the flow the volume of water going down the swollen River Test at Greatbridge to stop Romsey town centre flooding.

Water was forced into channels and fields west of the town and some onto pastures behind the Causeway.

“The water rose 12 inches in six hours after the ‘catflap’ was opened,” said Mr Langford.

Speaking during his visit, Mr Rogerson said: “My heart goes out to the people here affected by the flooding.

"As a Government we have invested £3.2billion across this parliament in coastal erosion and river flooding. And we’ve a partnership approach with local authorities to get money where it is needed to design some form of solution to prevent flooding.”