HEAVY rain has caused water levels in Dawlish to rise, prompting campaigners to repeat calls to tackle the flood risk to the town.
Historian and campaigner David Force says the recent downpours have strengthened their demand that the Brook, the main waterway through the centre of Dawlish, needs to be maintained.
No properties have been flooded during the current heavy rain.
But Mr Force says: ‘The Environment Agency should take notice and treat Dawlish seriously.
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‘The Brook needs to be maintained immediately and properly.
‘Otherwise, properties in Brunswick Place, Brookdale Terrace, Piermont Place and Marine Parade are vulnerable.
‘With the current weather patterns, disaster could be just around the corner.’
WADE, Waterways Around Dawlish Environment, was set up last year in response to serious concerns over the state of the town’s ‘jewel’.
The new, specially trained volunteer task force will help tackle minor maintenance and enhancement work on the Brook from Tuck’s Plot to Manor Gardens.
A petition to Save Our Brook had more than 2,000 signatures and was presented to Teignbridge Council, calling for action.
Mr Force has written to the authority asking when a response will be forthcoming.
He said: ‘It is more than two months since I presented the petition from the Friends of Dawlish Brook to Teignbridge District Council.
‘There is a real anger amongst residents, particularly in view of the higher than average rainfall we are experiencing at the moment.
‘We have a volunteers group of close to 100 people willing to carry out work to titivate the Brook, but there will have to be an action plan from Teignbridge, in conjunction with the Environment Agency, to reduce the risk of flooding in the future.’
In the past, the Brook was dredged of debris and silt build up but current thinking is that dredging is not a viable option.