Somerset locals' anger at Environment Agency chief who refuses to say sorry over flood response
Locals reacted angrily to the Environment Agency chairman's visit to the flooded Somerset Levels today over his handling of his response to the severe weather. It was the first time Lord Smith had been to the area.
However, he refused to apologise when repeatedly asked and insisted he had "no intention of resigning."
After meeting a group of residents behind closed doors, Lord Smith was confronted by a one local man who demanded the agency dredge the rivers.
He told him: "Our house is going under."
Asked by ITV News reporter Lewis Vaughan Jones what he would like Lord Smith to do, the resident replied: "Sort the rivers out."
Another man, who had built a giant wall out of clay and soil around his son's house in the village of Moorland to stem rising flood waters, called on Lord Smith to "chuck that red tape out the window."
Lewis Vaughan Jones reports:
Joe Notaro said: "That man on top wants to get his act together and chuck the red tape out the window."
After meeting some local residents behind closed doors, ITV News reporter Lewis Vaughan Jones repeatedly asked Lord Smith if he had, or would apologise to residents:
In a statement released after his trip, the Environment Agency chief said:
He also faced criticism from local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger who called him a "coward" and a "little git" ahead of his visit.
When asked about Mr Liddell-Grainger's comments, he told ITV News Westcountry he would not be drawn into "silly little games".
*Watch the full interview with Lord Smith on the ITV News Westcountry website *
The Prime Minister also toured the area, meeting locals who had suffered flooding as well as military personnel who had worked through the night to help build flood defences.
On his first visit to the area the Prime Minister said:
But he admitted: "These are difficult times clearly across the south west with real needs. But these things are going to take time - I don't want to make any false promises to people."