TWO councillors went to Wharf Road, Stanford- le-Hope, to see the damage caused by a flood - and pledged to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Thurrock Council leader Terry Hipsey and his Stanford West colleague Eddie Hardiman went to the site where, last Wednesday, an estimated 3,000 gallons of water flooded the road. Firefighters and council staff pumped the water clear, but mud still covers the pathway - and it is not the first time it has happened.

Mr Hipsey said: "I want to say a great big thank-you to all our staff and the fire service for their hard work.

"I think it is time a stop was put to this flooding. It happens too often. I'm going to talk with our highways and enforcement teams to ensure they look into the situation and make sure work is carried out to ensure the pumps work properly."

It is believed the flood was caused by the failure of pumps, which are supposed to remove water spilling over from nearby lakes.