A council is offering free sandbags to at-risk residents as river levels remain high and more rain is forecast in coming days.

The initiative is being rolled out in the Canterbury district in a bid to help those living in homes that are vulnerable.

Canterbury City Council is offering residents up to 10 empty sandbags, which they may fill with sand or garden soil.

A period of prolonged rainfall in recent weeks has left the usually dried-up Nailbourne river flowing through villages outside Canterbury.

Water levels along the river Stour also remain high, while more rain is set to hit the area in coming days.

Canterbury City Council will be handing out the sandbags between 10am and 2pm this Friday, from the authority's staff car park in Military Road.

No booking is required.

A spokesman said: "This is being managed in a Covid-secure way and counts as an essential journey, so you are allowed to travel for it.

"Please stay in your vehicle when you arrive and our officers will do the rest.

"Sadly we are not able to run this offer on another day as staff are coming in especially for it."

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