Fed-up residents have rallied their MP to take action over what they claim are inadequate flood defences in their village after heavy rain led to chaos last month.

People living on Goose Hill in Portesham, along the B3157 coast road, said water levels reached around 15 inches in their homes when torrential rain in January led to the road becoming flooded.

Gladys Brough, aged 91, had to have most of her flooring ripped out due to the extent of the damage caused, and is now having to stay with her daughter while repairs are carried out at her home.

Residents claim the makeshift flood defence at a nearby development may be partially to blame.

This involves a dug-out drain from a flood pool to the main road instead of pumps which would direct water away from homes, which were apparently outlined in the original plans.

Yesterday, West Dorset MP Sir Oliver Letwin met with residents in Portesham to hear their concerns about flooding.

Jennifer Evans, aged 44, said: “We were told they were going to put in a fantastic amount of drainage so water won’t be an issue. We have an issue because they haven’t stuck to their original plan, they have reinstated the original cut-through.”

Dorothy Everett, who has lived in the village for more than 60 years, said she can remember flooding in the area dating as far back as 1955.

She said: “We are very vulnerable down here.

“When we get a lot of rain we’re the lowest point in the village. It has happened our whole lives.

“I think it’s dreadful, having to go to bed worrying about if we are going to get flooded.”

Sir Oliver told residents that he would contact the highways department and ask them to carry out an

engineering study of the area – but warned that funding could be an issue.

He told the Echo: “We need a plan to make sure water is channelled in the right way, at the right stages, taken away and put in the right places.”

Jennifer’s mother Rowena Evans, aged 67, said that cars driving too quickly through the flood in January aggravated the problem, and caused more water to be pushed into their homes.

She said: “I stood in the road and tried to get them to stop but they just drove around me.”

Goose Hill residents said the flooding last month echoed the chaos of 2012 which saw the road closed due to flooding following a long period of heavy downpours.

Jennifer said: “We can only hope at this point that they take notice...and that something can be done.”

The Echo has contacted the developers for comment.