ACROSS the table talks in Westminster concentrated on Hereford's flood problems.

At the head of the table was environment minister Elliott Morley, on the right Hereford MP Paul Keetch and facing them Bill Adamson, Bob Binnersley and Andrew Lee.

The three are members of the non-political, non-funded Hereford Campaign for Flood Defences and part of a team that gathered more than 2,000 signatures and 1,000 signed post cards sent to the minister, who then granted them an audience.

They made time to get to London at short notice for a 9-30am meeting with the minister and put forward a strong case for money to be spent on flood defences to bring much-needed relief to Hereford when the River Wye bursts its banks.

They had the minister's sympathy; now they are waiting for positive action.

Mr Morley says nothing definite could happen until the recommendations of a current review of the situation are reported, possibly in the summer.

In the meantime the work of the Hereford group will continue. It is urging local business people to write to the minister independently in support of their campaign and members of the committee are meeting this week to decide the best way to keep up the pressure.