A Worcestershire town which has been affected by severe flooding in the past, has been told it no longer qualifies for flood defence money from the government.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says Bewdley is no longer a "priority" for flood defence work under the government's new flood policy.

As a result, work on the Severnside South scheme will now be postponed.

People in the town have vowed to keep fighting for fully funded defences.

'Understand difficulties'

Peter Barnett, chairman of the town's flood committee, said: "We are learning more day by day on this and I think what has happened is bureaucracy has been brought into play to prioritise money.

"They have not thought about the consequences about the work planned by the Environment Agency right across the country."

The Environment Agency (EA) is now working urgently with DEFRA to try and find a rapid solution.

John Fitzsimmons, the EA's regional flood defence manager, said: "We have been talking with DEFRA.

"Both agency staff and people in DEFRA are seeing if they can find a solution to this.

"They do recognise and understand the difficulties it will cause if they are not able to do the work in a reasonable time-scale."