AN emergency plan could be drawn up for Williton after floodwater cascaded through the village leaving both residents and businesses mopping up.

The result of an estimated month's rainfall in just a few days took its toll on around 24 properties as the Monksilver Stream reached its highest recorded level and topped its banks shortly before midnight on Saturday.

And Williton Parish Council chairman Cllr Robert McDonald said this week he would be looking at creating a plan of action to ensure people affected by any future incidents had immediate access to help.

Cllr McDonald also revealed that a public meeting would be held in January to see if any lessons needed to be learned from the events of the past week.

"I think there needs to be somewhere people can go for a warm drink or anything else they might need when this sort of thing happens," he said.

"We don't have an emergency plan in Williton and I think we need one."

Cllr McDonald said he hoped the public meeting would involve representatives from West Somerset Council and the Environment Agency.

However, he said it appeared the flooding had been the result of the sheer volume of rainfall.

Robert Street, High Street, Bridge Street and Fore Street were among the worst hit areas as the junction and a stretch of the main A358 and A39 roads through the village became a river.

With around two feet of water gushing along the highway, some feared the damage would be worse.

Staff at the village's Spar supermarket pulled out all the stops to open for business on Sunday morning - just a couple of hours later than usual.

Manager Rick Harding said although the water in the shop measured no more than three inches at its deepest, the floor was covered in mud.

"A couple of staff came in on their day off to help with the clean-up and we were open by between 10am and 10.30am," he said.

The floodwater damaged about £250 worth of stock, mainly boxes of pet food, but Mr Harding said the sachets inside were being sold off individually.

"I suppose we were quite lucky really," he said.

However, Williton's RSPCA shop was not so fortunate and was still closed for business yesterday (Thursday) as the drying out continued.

Doug and Christine Human are also facing a more protracted clear-up after floodwater poured into their High Street cottage and their immediate neighbours.

The couple, both key leaders of the Bowmen of Danesfield, expect to be out of their home for some weeks.

Meanwhile, Williton Bowling Club's green was transformed into a swimming pool as water from the nearby stream flooded through the gates just an hour or so after members had been enjoying their Christmas celebrations in the clubhouse.

But as homeowners across the district and county began to county the cost of the weather, the charity Somerset Community Foundation announced it would be raising funds to help flood victims.

The organisation has launched a campaign to provide emergency grants to people whose homes have been flooded and has received £50,000 from Somerset County Council to kickstart the initiative.

The foundation's chief executive Justin Sargent said: "We thought this is a crisis and we should do what we can to help.

"If we raise more money than can be used in the immediate future, we would look at larger grants to those people hit hardest by the floods and even to the other charities and groups that can support them."

Anyone wanting to donate to the fund or make a claim can do so at http://www.somersetcf.org.uk">www.somersetcf.org.uk.

Donations can also be made by text to WARM44 £ with the amount to be given to text number 70070.