Flood protection products are becoming a major necessity to many households and businesses in the UK. Every year it seems like we witness catastrophic flooding somewhere in the UK.

In November 2009 it was Cumbria that bore the brunt.

To the right we have a news report by ITV from Appleby, where a number of properties in the town were protected by Floodgates as the result of a DEFRA sponsored pilot project back in 2007. Huw Irranca-Davies, then the government minister responsible for flood response, explains the benefits of Floodgates.

The nature of flooding events is changing with a significant increase in flash flooding caused by torrential rainfall coupled with blocked or inadequate surface water drainage. This type of flooding can occur anywhere and is not limited to areas that are traditionally at-risk from river or coastal flooding.

According to the Environment Agency, over 2 million properties and 5 million people are at risk from flooding across the UK however, recent reports show that only a small minority have acted to ensure their flood defences offer adequate protection against future floods.