7,000 desperate families still homeless A YEAR after last summer's catastrophic floods

Around 7,000 families are still homeless after last summer's devastating floods, it emerged yesterday.

The latest figures show that around 18,000 people - including thousands of children - are living in caravans, B&Bs, rented homes or staying with relatives nearly a year after the June and July deluges.

Many householders have been forced to wait more than ten months before being able to get a builder. Others have been delayed by huge waiting lists for visits by overworked insurance company loss adjusters.

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Peter Ainsworth, the Tory environment spokesman, said the Government had failed to do its duty.

"Gordon Brown toured television studios promising to get people back on their feet as quickly as possible but nearly a year later he has let down thousands of flood victims who are still waiting to return home," he said.

"The Government has made no assessment of skill shortages to help with repair works and institutional confusion means we are still no better equipped to face further flooding despite an increased risk.

"With families still living in temporary accommodation and with schools, hospitals and power stations at risk I dread to think what could happen if we get heavy rainfall this summer."

Last summer's floods killed at least 13 people, damaged 55,000 homes and caused at least £ 3billion damage.

As England experienced its wettest May to July since records began in 1766, parts of the country had a month's rainfall in a few hours.

The new figures, revealed in a parliamentary answer, show that 6,710 households are homeless - including 2,400 in Hull, 1,300 in East Riding of Yorkshire, 380 in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, and 360 in West Berkshire.

The true figure may be even higher than 6,710 because the official figures include only those on official local authority lists who are renting or staying with friends or relatives.

In July, Gordon Brown promised to "get people back on their feet as quickly as possible".

He pledged that the Government would "do all we can" to help those in temporary accommodation.

Hull was the most badly hit last summer.

More than 9,000 homes were flooded. The repair bill is around £80million and rising.

A spokesman for Hull City Council said many residents thought their homes had survived without damage - but had begun to see mould or lifting tiles in

The new figures came as families in Wales and the North West were clearing up after the latest wave of summer flash floods.

An official inquiry led by Sir Michael Pitt last year warned that Britain was unprepared for heavy flooding - particularly from surface floods.