FURTHER warnings about the possibility of flooding in the Staverton area have been issued by the Environment Agency which is keeping a watch on river levels in the region.

Although river levels are beginning to stabilise and the River Avon levels are falling there is still a possibility of further flooding.

In its latest bulletin, the agency said: "We believe there is a possibility of flooding for the Holt Road at Staverton.

"Further showers, with a possibility of some heavy showers, is forecast on Thursday. Rivers may show some response to the rainfall.

"The Environment Agency incident staff are checking and clearing weed screens and we will continue to monitor the weather and river levels."

Earlier this week, delays in using the newly-installed £12,000 floodgates to close the B3106 between Holt and Staverton despite high water levels led to disappointment and confusion.

The distinctive yellow gates were installed last month to stop reckless drivers getting stuck in fast-flowing waters.

After last weekend’s heavy rainfall, the usual orange cones and road closed sign were used instead of swinging the gate into place.

Wiltshire Councillor Trevor Carbin, who helped to get the floodgates installed, was surprised to hear they had not been used straight away.

He said: “Melksham Highway depot have the key to the padlock of the gate and I had been thinking that water levels were likely to be getting high now. It is strange that it hasn’t been used.”

Elsewhere, there was flooding on the B3107 Bradford on Avon road at the Farmers Roundabout in Melksham.

Drivers using the A36 also experienced surface water flooding in places.

Wiltshire Council said: “Our teams are working with partners to monitor the wet weather and potential flooding issues across Wiltshire.

"We have been closely monitoring areas prone to flooding and although at Staverton we initially put out road closed signs, the new floodgates which were installed recently have now also been closed.”