THE Environment Agency has issued a flood warning for villages surrounding Andover, asking residents to ‘be prepared’.

The warning runs until Monday, March 15 and states that flooding is possible because of high groundwater levels.

For the village of Hatherden, it states: “The level is rising slowly (several cms a day) in response to rainfall recorded in February.”

In Appleshaw, the groundwater is reported to be stabilising and in Kimpton the level is starting to fall.

It adds: “In Hatherden and Appleshaw, the level is very near to where 1-2 cellars of sumps have historically experienced water ingress…

“Whilst we were expecting the groundwater to peak imminently, further rain may keep levels rising into next week (albeit at a similar rate of a few cms per day). As the groundwater peaks, there is a small chance that it will be high enough to impact 1-2 cellars.

“Any impact would be relatively short lived, as more settled weather next week, should mean that levels finally begin to fall.”