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FIRE crews from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have pulled together to try to hold back the water in Winchester.

Firemen have been battling furiously to try to contain the water by setting up a 70 ft barrier across Park Avenue stretching from Winchester School of Art across to the back of St Bede Primary School.

The River Itchen burst its banks at the end of last week and has continued to rise further towards the city centre.

The Royal Navy were on the scene again today to continue with the flood relief effort.

It comes after they first touched down in the city centre on Tuesday evening.

Winchester station crew manager Foxton said: “We’re pumping out around the police station. They were out yesterday evening then they were back at 11 o’clock, back again at 4 o’clock and then again this morning at 8 o’clock and are still there now. They’re just trying to hold it back at the moment.”

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Meanwhile, huge sandbags are being used to build a dam in the River Itchen north of Winchester.

The plan is to flood a field to the between the M3 in the west and Easton Lane in the east.

It is hoped by doing so will provide an alternative for flood waters other than putting homes and business at risk.