Pembrokeshire flood victims have helped to shape a groundbreaking report calling for urgent action to prevent the devastation caused by flooding.

The cross-party report says a radically different approach needs to be taken to manage flooding and flood risk.

South Pembrokeshire AM Angela Burns, who helped to launch the report, used the evidence gathered from local flood victims to shape her evidence.

She saw first-hand the flooding and the damage caused in Whitland, Llanddowror, Pleasant Valley and Stepaside.

“The stories we heard, the evidence we saw, brought home time and time again the complete devastation a flood can cause and the absolute misery, the emotional and physical impact and financial hardship that serial flooding causes,” she said.

The report makes a number of recommendations including making affordable insurance available to people living in flood-risk areas by the end of the year.

“We met too many people who have done all they can to mitigate the effects of flooding in their homes but still face annual premiums of £2,500 plus or excesses of £5,000,” she said.

It also called for the Assembly Government to pay for flood wardens who would identify vulnerable people during a flood and help to communicate warnings and to create a one-stop shop for all flooding inquiries.

“At the moment it is simply too confusing for people,” said Mrs Burns, “they don’t know if it’s the Environment Agency, Welsh Water or the council they should be in touch with and sometimes it can be all three.

”The Sustainability Committee report also demanded that building on flood plains stops unless the authority granting planning permission is prepared to take out an indemnity policy.

“If we don’t deal with this danger of flooding the consequences will become immeasurably more difficult to deal with, people will lose heart and faith and the financial costs to the public and private purse will become unmanageable,” added Mrs Burns.