Southern Water is paying for new driveways in an Isle of Wight village so homes and local drains and sewers are protected from deluges of surface water following heavy rain.

United Utilities, the North West’s water company, has awarded more than £1.3 million of funding to projects which will boost levels of sustainable drainage across Greater Manchester.

State-of the-art permeable pavements which are helping to protect homes in West London from flooding have been shortlisted for a national award.