HEAVY rainfall over the weekend has added to the worries of villages at risk from flooding.

In the space of a week the Bourne Rivulet at Hurstbourne Tarrant has sprung into life with the river bed having been transformed from a few puddles to a fast-flowing winterbourne as the ground water levels have shot up at the same rate as in 2000.

The Environment Agency says the Andover area experienced twice the level of expected rainfall in the first 20 days of November and that the ground water level now exceeds 112 metres at the George Inn well in Vernham Dean.

Data from 2000 shows cellar flooding can be expected when this level reaches 120 metres, while the peak figure reached two years ago was 127 metres.

Current groundwater levels are already in excess of the average winter maximum normally expected in March.

While flooding is not imminent further rainfall will cause the level to go up and the Bourne Rivulet can be expected to rise further along the valley at Upton.

As a precaution the Environ-ment Agency has advised that all ditches should be cleared to ensure the free flow of water.

Meanwhile, those attempting to carry out repairs to the riverbank at Ib-thorpe have had to work fast as the water rose from nothing to knee high in the space of days.