Alok Sharma, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, having waded across to Pangbourne from Purley, helped out with civic-minded local residents, Parish and District councillors and staff from West Berkshire Council to assist those stranded in their homes, providing practical support at the Pangbourne Control and Rest Centre in the Dolphin Centre.

Other parts of the constituency also saw much disruption with flash flooding causing problems on the Oxford Road and Armour Hill. There was serious flooding on Norcot Road and this problem is receiving your Councillors’ attention.

This was a stark reminder that it is not only low-lying areas that are threatened but that even moderate rainfall can cause problems if drainage systems are not properly maintained to allow water drain away efficiently. The residents of Riverside Park welcomed the regular visits from Councillors Steele and Rynn during the period that the Thames threatened to flood the Park. Attention was focused on other parts of Reading and they felt isolated. The residents kept watch day and night fearing the worst as information on the timing of the flood peak kept changing.

After the floods Alok called on the Government to reverse cuts made in the flood protection budget and provide funding to implement the Environment Agency's local flood protection schemes in Purley and elsewhere.