AN ISLE of Wight councillor is fighting to help residents of his ward who saw properties and possessions damaged by flooding over the weekend.

Ian Dore, ward councillor for Binstead and Fishbourne, has lived in Binstead since 1974, and was elected as councillor earlier this year.

He said: "The flooding in Binstead last night resulted in utter devastation and was primarily caused by excessive rainfall.

"It requires input from various agencies and the local authority to get to the bottom of it all. My immediate role is one of protection for residents, for when it happens again.

"It's not a case of playing the 'blame game' but if there are circumstances that may have impeded the draining, as residents believe there could be, they will have to be looked into.

Isle of Wight County Press: Damage at one of the Binstead properties after the flooding.Damage at one of the Binstead properties after the flooding.

"The thing that shocked me most was the level of excrement and human waste appearing in the water.

"When you stand in people's gardens and in the kitchen of The Fleming Arms, witnessing turds floating around, that's a whole different situation.

"If it transpires that a provider is responsible, standby for action.

Discussing the issue of a lack of immediately available sandbags, Cllr Dore revealed he has addressed this with immediate effect.

He said: "When it comes to first defence, the PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contract dictates where sandbags go and the reasons why.

"Given Binstead was hit hard in 2013, you would have thought provision would have been made to have some in a nearby location. It wasn't.

"We should by the end of today receive around 140 sandbags for distribution to those properties and people who are most at risk. It's not a long term solution but it is an immediate action.

Isle of Wight County Press: Furniture and items were strewn across lawns in the area this morning.Furniture and items were strewn across lawns in the area this morning.

Cllr Dore was robust on his determination to improve the lives of Binstead residents moving forwards.

He concluded: "Last night I stood in houses with more than two feet of water up their walls, human excrement in the garden and possessions trashed.

"I’ve only been in the seat for three months and don’t have many answers at the moment but what I do have is determination.

"The sandbags are a start and and we are resilient in Binstead. The community pulled together to help one another with offers of support including food, clothing and beds for the night.

"That is the silver lining on what were some incredibly destructive clouds.

"Crucially what residents need to know is they have someone fighting their corner."