ONE man has criticised Essex Police for carrying out a traffic operation, rather than dealing with the flooding.

Nicholas Cronk e-mailed the Echo to complain after seeing police doing an operation in Progress Road, Eastwood.

He wrote: “I passed by Progress Road at 3.15pm on Saturday to find a load of police pulling over vehicles on what looked like ANPR duties.

“They had even erected a tent over them to take shelter.

Having just passed by the flooding at the Fortune of War roundabout, and what with the chaos as people were diverted through the Mayflower Trading Estate and with Rayleigh Weir underpass rapidly filling up,I cannot believe so many police were still standing around pulling up vehicles rather than helping with the road chaos in the surrounding area. Shame on you Essex Police.”

A police spokeswoman said: “Police worked with other agencies to clear any flood water as soon as possible.

Other business continued as usual to ensure all opportunities to detect crime were taken.”