PORLOCK Weir residents are being urged to take part in a drop-in session to help finalise a new community-led flood action plan for the village.

Representatives from the Somerset Coastal Change Pathfinder project will give a presentation on the plan and be on hand with information about "flood resistance and resilience" products.

The evening starts at 5pm in Coastal Coffees in the Bottom Ship pub on Monday, December 6, and is expected to last until 8.30pm.

The 18-month Pathfinder project is being led locally by Somerset County Council and will run until June 2011 with funding from Defra.

A host of organisations are involved, including the National Trust, the Environment Agency, West Somerset Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Natural England and Exmoor National Park Authority.

The aim is to help local residents, business owners and people with an interest in Porlock Weir to understand what is likely to happen to the coastline as a result of climate change and erosion and develop innovative ways of coping with them.

Local people have already been involved in drop-in sessions and shown what could happen in the event of a severe storm coinciding with high spring tides.

A spokesman for the project said he was confident the project would result in a "positive, long-term action plan" for Porlock Weir.

He said: "Coastal change can refer to many processes, but in Somerset the focus is on coastal flooding as a result of increased frequency of storms combined with a predicted rise in sea level.

"An area that is prone and/or experienced coastal flooding can manage the benign rise and fall of the tide in calm conditions with ease of familiarity.

"However, if a particularly high tide combined with a storm were to strike, it would be of the communities' benefit to be as best prepared as possible.

"For this reason, the project is working with the community at Porlock Weir to help develop a flood adaptation plan.

"This will work towards ensuring each community member can be confident that action will be taken from within the village rather than having to rely on external or central services."