A VILLAGE near Tewkesbury, where more than 40 homes were flooded in 2007, will receive £120,000 to make sure it doesn't happen again.

It forms part of a £3 million pot of money for flood defences made available by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A £5 million Flood Protection Grant Scheme was announced as part of the Government's response to Sir Michael Pitt's review of the 2007 floods.

And in the first round of funding, £3 million has been made available to 25 local authorities to protect up to 593 properties across England, offering practical flood protection solutions, including air brick covers and door guards.

The Beckford money was approved in a bid submitted by Wychavon District Council and Eckington-based environmental consultants Haycock, with the backing of the Environment Agency.

It will be used to survey flooded properties in the village and develop flood protection for the worst-affected.

Steve Jorden, the council's head of environmental services, said: "This bid has largely been successful because the villagers have been so pro-active and organised. They put together a flood working group with Wychavon and Haycock, who are specialists in flooding and will do the household surveys, and then put together this successful bid."

The council says the Beckford scheme will be used as a test case. Many areas in Wychavon which have been affected by flooding either have flood defences or would not benefit from them, but the council says Beckford is a good example of a place where this should work – with others potentially to follow if further funding is made available.

Mr Jorden added: "We were keen that this work was done by a local company with local knowledge. Also in this current climate we felt it only right to invest the money in our own economy."

Haycock is set to start the work in the next couple of months. Roger Palmer's home in Cheltenham Road, Beckford, was flooded two years ago – causing £25,000 worth of damage.

Mr Palmer, the parish council chairman in the village, said: "We're very pleased with any money that we can get. Householders are stretched, even if they are insured."

Henry Smith, of Haycock, said: "We are delighted that Beckford has been awarded the grant and that we have been able to help in the process."