PEOPLE across Winchester and surrounding areas are being warned to prepare for possible flooding today and this weekend as heavy rain is expected.

A flood alert has been issued for the River Itchen, with Environment Agency saying that water levels remain high.

Today and tomorrow (Saturday) a total of 14 to 19mm of rainfall is expected and unsettled conditions are expected to continue into Sunday and Monday.

The alert reads: “River levels will increase slightly in response to the rainfall over the next few days. As a precautionary measure, Winchester City Council have installed flood barrier at River Park and Water Lane. There is no access to the Rec Ground from Park Avenue.

“We are liaising with Winchester City Council and our professional partners in the Winchester area.

“Please remain prepared for further impacts over the next five days, as river levels will rise and fall. Generally water levels will be much higher than normal and minor impact flooding will continue.”

Elsewhere in the areas of Littleton, The Worthys, Easton and Chilland another alert is still in place from earlier this week.

The Environment Agency has said “some properties will experience internal impacts as water rises through floors” and footpaths near the river will be inaccessible.

Flood alerts also remain in place for Sutton Scotney, Chilbolton, Little Somborne and Kings Somborne, with an “unsettled outlook”.

In Bishops Sutton, Twyford and Hensting the groundwater level is said to be “very high, fairly stable, but is immediately rising a little, each time it rains” which could cause cellar flooding to a small number of properties, an alert which is being mirrored in the Candovers and Old Alresford.