RESIDENTS fear their homes could soon flood again despite emergency crews clearing blocked drains during the last deluge.

A Brighton and Hove City Council team was called to Portslade on Sunday after floodwater reached the doorsteps of homes.

They also handed sandbags to Elm Road residents only two weeks after flash-flooding surged into homes.

Homeowner Steve Pratt, 42, said water immersed most of the street after the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha swept the area.

The father-of-two said that in a ten-minute spell, water collected under cars, rising to the height of doorsteps and only began to subside when blockages in the drains were worked on.

Mr Pratt said: “The water came gushing down from nearby streets. We could not believe how quickly it rose.

“We are frustrated this happened again and want the council to clear the drains properly once and for all. We’re lucky our home hasn’t been flooded yet but we’re worried it could happen if action isn’t taken.”

He said nearby Hurst Crescent and Bampfield Street were also affected.

Les Hamilton, councillor for South Portslade, said: “The residents are very concerned. The council should have cleared the drains straight away after the first downpour.”

The council previously denied claims that blocked drains could have caused the floods, saying the gullies simply could not cope with the “extreme weather event”.

But councillor Alan Robins, of the environment, transport and sustainability committee, was sure they had contributed to the problem.

He said readings by the council’s Cityclean operation showed most drains in Sharpthorne Crescent were 75% blocked with silt or soil and one gully was obstructed.

Richard Bradley, head of Cityclean, said: “The sheer volume of surface water within such a relatively small timescale meant the road’s gullies were unable to cope.

“It can only take a few minutes for a gully to become blocked with fallen leaves and branches in high wind. We have, however, carried out further cleaning of these gullies to ensure surface water is able to run freely.”