RESIDENTS on Canvey claim they were left to fend for themselves after the flooding hit.

Angry families have accused the authorities of being slow to act, after hours of torrential rain forced families out of their homes and made the roads impassable.

Residents around Gainsborough Avenue took matters into their own hands and used their cars to block off streets that were flooded. There have also been reports from residents that they have been unable to contact Essex County Council about highways matters because it has been shut for the bank holiday.

The Echo attempted to contact both the press team and Rodney Bass, councillor responsible for highways yesterday, but neither were available.

Janet Dunton of Gainsborough Road said: “As residents we had to take action to stop people driving down our road. People were blocking off the road with their cars and staying there to warn people.

“I think everyone on the island is worried that we do not want a repeat of what happened in 1953.

“We just felt, ‘is anyone interested in protecting us from what is going on?’”