Swathes of England's vital flood defences ‘almost useless’

Data from Environment Agency shows thousands of people and businesses at risk from ruined assets'

Thousands of England's vital flood defences were in such a state of ruin last year they would fail to protect communities from extreme weather, an investigation has found.

More than 3,400 of England's high consequence" flood assets, defined as those where there is a high risk to life and property if they fail, were judged by the Environment Agency to be in such a bad condition they were almost useless.