Riverside homeowners were keeping one eye firmly on the clouds today as river levels rose even higher through the night.

Residents of Riverside Walk in Colchester were visited by four vans full of Environment Agency workers who had to pump surface water away as the river reached higher and higher up the new flood barrier wall.

Usual story - residents in Chappel count the cost of more flooding

Esme Lowrie, 67, said: "I called the Environment Agency at about 6pm yesterday and by 9pm the water was coming up to the front door.

"The Environment Agency people brought a pump down and have kept the water back. They have done excellently."

Flood warnings remained on some mid Essex rivers today but dry weather is forecast for the weekend and even snow could be on the way.

A Braintree Council spokesman said: "Fingers crossed, it looks like things will ease off."

"We had a few calls, no more than two or three calls overnight but we are not getting any calls for help at the moment. The signs are that the levels have peaked."

The Environment Agency said the River Brain, from Black Notley to Witham, and the River Blackwater, from Braintree to Langford, including Coggeshall, were today still on flood warnings.

In Tendring the route across the Holland Marshes from Great Holland to Holland-on-Sea has now been closed for three days after heavy rain made it largely impassable.

Some vehicles are still braving the two flooded areas on the route but most are taking other longer paths.

A spokesman for Tendring Council said: "Unfortunately, it is mostly pasture, marsh and flood plains so there's little we can do to prevent what is a natural occurrence."

Published Friday, January 3, 2003