Officials in Berkshire have warned the community to be prepared for flooding as winter draws closer. 

At a West Berkshire Council press conference on Friday, October 25 announced that householders and businesses who are at risk of flooding should prepare themselves for flooding at the same level as 2014.

The BBC previously reported back a decade ago that flooded homes along the River Thames had to be evacuated and thousands more were at risk. 

Residents in one Berkshire village had previously said that the scenes were from a "horror movie" during the 2014 floods.

Fourteen severe flood warnings were also in place in Berkshire and Surrey during that same time. 

One member of the community posted to a Facebook group alerting the wider public of the damaging news.

They said: "January 2024 flooding was not as serious as 2014, and we should expect 2014 Levels. It is not if, it is when!"

West Berkshire Council currently states that it has limited resources and powers to act, and will concentrate on clearing its drains, gullies, and trash screens under its control.

The public is currently concerned with regard to the fact that the risk from the main rivers, like the Pang, Thames, and Kennet, is Managed by the Environment Agency who are also under-resourced at this point in time.

As previously reported, businesses and homes across Berkshire experienced extreme losses during Storm Henk back in January. 

The Flowing Spring pub in Playhatch was hit by intense flooding across its car park and garden as rainfall reached record levels.

Located between Reading and Henley on the Thames, the restaurant is a popular watering hole for patrons in both Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.

Hazel Lucas, explained: "We had some flooding in late November and early December and the ground was so saturated that the recent deluges have brought higher levels of flooding than in the past fourteen years we've been here, even beating the 2013/14 levels.

“It's amazing when we reflect on the magical summer concerts we hold in our gardens that all the land is now under so much water.

“At the bottom of the car park, it's 4 feet deep and we're expecting levels to rise even further as water continues to flow downstream through Oxfordshire to us.”

During the flooding, the owners found that they had seen a downturn in business as the weather deterred people from visiting.

According to the owner, many people believed that it had been forced to close due to the flooding.

They said: "Anyone passing the pub sees this ocean of water. The passing trade who may be planning to stop for a bite to eat and a pint can't seem to entertain the idea we're actually open, even though we have signs and posters everywhere!"