A £100,000 flood prevention programme at Appleshaw and Redenham has been delayed because of contractual problems.

The investment programme was announced in October by Hampshire County Council as part of an £11.5 million county-wide flood prevention programme.

The news comes as fears grow over the possibility of more flooding this year as the water table rises.

And in this month's ARC village news the Appleshaw & Redenham Flood Advisory Group says: "There can't be many other places in the county where roads and infrastructure were left in such a sorry state after seven months of flooding, and where the installation of effective flood defences has yet to begin.

"Let's hope they start before it gets really wet. When they do the work it will take about 10 weeks to complete."

The work will involve resurfacing and raising part of the road and enlarging culverts. The small retaining wall, which is built into the roadside of the ditch outside Rowan Cottages will be continued further downstream, where the ditch is shallower, to give greater capacity.

Meanwhile, Southern Water has produced a video from CCTV footage which they say proves that 11 households are leaking groundwater from their private drains into the main sewer system.

Test Valley Borough Council's environmental services department has also been asked by Southern Water to liaise with the parish council to ensure that the owners of these laterals undertake the necessary sealing work.

The borough council could invoke its powers under Section 59 of the Building Act 1984 to force property owners to do the work.