RESIDENTS who fear a flooding-risk is posed to their properties have been offered sandbags to protect their homes.

Sidmouth Town Council this week teamed up with Sidmouth Garden Centre to hand out the defences – and the business is willing to deliver them to the elderly or vulnerable.

Anyone who wants sand bags is advised to visit the town council offices at Woolcombe House where they will be issued with a voucher and empty bags.

Sand will then be dished out at the garden centre.

The district council has donated more than 100 bags to add to those the town council already possessed.

More heavy rain was forecast for last night and this morning.

The town council gave out 45 vouchers on Monday – 30 to one Millford Road resident.

Town council chairman, Stuart Hughes, will pay for the sand through his county locality budget.

He said: “Anything you can do to make people more resilient to what the heavens can throw at us can only be welcomed.

“If we can help stop properties being flooded then that’s what it’s all about.

“It is a small price to pay for a lot of benefits and is money well spent. Whatever the price (of the sand needed) I’ll foot the bill.”