A bund has been built to protect homes in a Powys village which was hit by flooding so severe that resident were evacuated.

The flood defence measure in Llandinam is part of a £1 million project to protect more than 100 homes across Powys from water damage.

The funding was awarded to Powys County Council by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.

Llandinam was particularly badly hit by flooding in February 2022, which saw residents rescued from their homes by boat.

As well as the bund, the money has been used to buy two large pumps for use in Bridge Street and New Road, in Crickhowell, to help protect 18 homes from flooding caused by high water levels in the River Usk.

The funding was awarded to Powys County Council by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (Image: Supplied) It is also paying for individual prevention measures to be installed at around 80 Powys homes that are at a high risk of flooding, including in Knighton, Llandrinio, Four Crosses, Welshpool, Caersws, Ystradgynlais and Hay-on-Wye.

Work has been completed at around half of these properties, with the rest due to be finished by the end of the year.

The measures being installed for the council, by contractor Lakeside Flood Solutions, include barriers to protect doorways, which can be dismantled when not needed, automatic airbrick covers, non-return valves for drains, sinks and showers, and puddle pumps.

One of the homes that has benefited is owned by Tony Thorn at Caersws.

Thorn said: "We are really satisfied with the work and hope the system will work well.

"It seems to be very robust and fit for purpose, which is good, and we now have flood defences on all the doors around the house, and where we’ve got a conservatory at the back, they’ve put a massive flood defence system right across.

"Providing we get enough notice; we will be able to put all the defences up and be secure.”

The scheme has been managed by Powys County Council’s Highways Service and targeted properties that had been identified as being at risk by its Emergency Planning Team.

Councillor Richard Church, cabinet member for a Safer Powys, said: “Following storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge in February 2020, parts of Powys received record rainfall, and many homes were flooded.

“Other storms such as Babet in 2023 have also caused extensive flooding in the county. 

“We recognised the enormous impact that flooding has on people’s lives so, put in this bid for UK Government funding, for work which we hope will lessen the severity of any future damage.”

Councillor Jackie Charlton, cabinet member for a Greener Powys, said: “With increasing concern about the effects of climate change and the possibility of more frequent flooding, this project will bring peace of mind to many in Powys whose homes have flooded before.”