An area devastated by flooding in recent years could be in line for a slice of £100m worth of funding.

The village of Prestolee was hit by floods on Boxing Day 2015 and ever since people there have called for permanent defences to fend off the fear of rising waters returning.

Earlier this year, Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi spoke out in parliament about what could be done for people in areas like this after the more recent disturbances caused by Storm Babet.

Ms Qureshi said: “My heart goes out to all the communities affected, and particularly to those who lost their lives.

“The images on the news of the devastation of the floods will also have an impact on communities who have been flooded previously and have escaped.

The Bolton News: Several houses were flooded out in 2015Several houses were flooded out in 2015 (Image: Newsquest)

“Many people in Prestolee on the River Irwell in my constituency will be among those watching with great anxiety.

“I have raised this issue several times in the chamber and with the minister.”

The 2015 floods hit a total of 39 houses on Riverside Drive on Boxing Day 2015 with 22 seeing a repeat of the devastation when the River Irwell burst its banks on February 9 that same year.

Since then attempts to build flood defences have been repeatedly delayed.

But in October this year Ms Qureshi used her seat in the House of Commons to ask the government about funding to protect areas like Prestolee hit by “repeat flooding.”

In response, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature Rebecca Pow MP said she had met with Ms Qureshi several times to discuss the flooding issue.

She said: “I will just flag that we launched the frequently flooded fund of £100m, which allocated funds to 53 projects.

“The areas that put forward viable projects for the funding are finding it very effective, and another round will open shortly.”

Ms Pow added: “Insurance is also really important for houses where there is a possibility of flooding, and Flood Re works intensively on that.

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“The process has been tweaked to ensure that as many houses as possible can get into it and a huge number of properties have been helped.

“Those that have difficulties can go to the inventory that has just been set up, and 13,000 people who had slightly more difficult cases have been helped through that.

“The Association of British Insurers has worked closely to ensure that all people are being catered for.

“There is also an extra ‘build back better’ £10,000 to build one’s property back better.”