People living and working in Headcorn on the River Beult are now able to register to receive free Flood Warnings from the Environment Agency by phone, text and email. Previously only flood alerts could be issued for this area.

To be able to provide this new Flood Warning Service, the Environment Agency has installed a new telemetry station in Headcorn to monitor local water levels. If you are a Headcorn resident, please check your flood risk and sign up for the new Flood Warning Service.

The Environment Agency has also improved the Flood Warning Service along the whole of the River Beult. The River Beult has been subject to flooding, most recently in the winter floods of 2013 and the summer floods of 2020.

A new arrangement to give more timely flood alerts now splits the River Beult at Stilebridge, near the A229:

• Properties upstream of the A229 are now in the River Beult from Pluckley and Bethersden to Stilebridge Flood Alert Area

• Properties downstream of the A229 are now in the River Beult from Stilebridge to Hampstead Lock at Yalding Flood Alert Area

If you are already registered to receive Flood Alerts from the Environment Agency, you do not need to take any action. Your flood warning registration will be automatically updated.

If you are not registered and wish to sign up to receive Flood Alerts or Flood Warnings for the River Beult or other locations, you can do so here.

Alex Francois, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Advisor, said:

We are pleased we have been able to make this these improvements to our free Flood Warning Service available. It lets us warn the local community when flooding is expected, giving them notice to protect themselves and their possessions.

Even if your property or business is not at direct risk of flooding from the River Beult and its tributaries, you can still sign up to the service to stay informed of the local situation.

Further information

The Environment Agency monitors river levels to assess the risk of flooding and, as necessary, issues one of 3 levels of warning:

• Flood Alert – Flooding is possible. Be prepared.

• Flood Warning – Flooding is expected. Immediate action required.

• Severe Flood Warning – Severe Flooding. Danger to life.

The River Beult Flood Warning Service is just one of almost 3,500 Flood Warning Areas throughout England covered by the Environment Agency.

Flood Warning and Flood Alert message information can be accessed at any time from Floodline, the Environment Agency’s dedicated flood information service, by calling 0345 988 1188 or visiting the website.

See information on preparing for flooding.