UK must spend £1.5bn a year on flood defences to protect public, experts warn

Researchers cite 2.4bn annual cost of flooding and say a third of England's critical infrastructure is at risk

Spending on flood defences will fall off a cliff edge next year, a report warns, calling on the chancellor to commit at least 1.5bn a year in the spending review to protect the economy and the public.

Nearly 2 million people across the UK are exposed to flooding every year, which is equivalent to the combined populations of Birmingham, Sheffield and Newcastle upon Tyne.