Residents in areas south of Oswestry are being prepared to face another barrage of winter’s worst weather as officials announced the arrival of a new storm this week.

The Environment Agency issued a flooding warning for the River Vyrnwy at Maesbrook, with a smaller alert for the Severn Vyrnwy Confluence near Melverley after the worst of Storm Ciara last weekend.

But any hope of a respite from the elements will be dashed this coming weekend as another storm, called Dennis, comes onto UK shores on Saturday, but it is not likely to be as strong as Ciara.

And that will be music to the ears of Stephen Simpson, whose farmland is among the worst affected in the Maesbrook area – under water which is travelling fast into other areas.

He insisted that he is prepared for the arrival of Storm Dennis, but he also admitted that he is fearful of a new storm bringing high winds because of the damage it can cause.

Mr Simpson, whose family have been farming the land in this area since the 1800s, believes people in Maesbrook and Melverley, which has also been seriously impacted, will be ready for the worst of Storm Dennis.

“My ground has been totally covered by the flood,” said Mr Simpson.

“Someone tried to drive through the main flood outside of my house the other night.

“They didn’t know the area and didn’t know how high the water was.

“I tried to pull them out but because they have modern vehicles, we couldn’t find the towage.

“I didn’t like the winds because that brings down slates and it also brings down my trees – my fruit trees, my oak trees – and that’s not what I want.

“The flood is part of living in Maesbrook – there’s a clue in the name – and people who move here need to know that.

“I know when the flood is high because it comes into my yard.

“I know that I and the other people in Maesbrook and Melverley will be prepared. You’ve seen all the cars parked up by my house as they know they can’t get back to their houses.”

The Environment Agency has issued the flood warning for this week.

It said: “Flooding is affecting properties and roads in and around Melverley, including Melverley to Melverley Green and Ponthen to Melverley roads.

“Further rainfall was forecast yesterday (Tuesday) with weather conditions continuing to be unsettled during the week.”