West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin this week led celebrations at the opening of the £1.5 million flood defence scheme built to protect Kempsey. And the MP congratulated the efforts of the community to finally secure an innovative solution to help reduce the threat of flooding in the village. A bund, flood gate and pump have been constructed to prevent hundreds of homes in Kempsey from being flooded as well as protecting the vital A38 link road. The pumping system has the equivalent capability of 50 fire engines and will help to reduce the risk of serious flooding from the confluence of water from the River Severn and Hatfield Brook. Harriett help the village to campaign for flood defences for more than three years before she was elected as MP for West Worcestershire Harriett commented: “Kempsey village has worked for many years to protect their homes from serious flooding. “The campaign was started by Rex Oram and it was wonderful to see his young grandson here to join in the celebrations. “It was very moving to unveil the plaque with Joy Oram and hear an impassioned speech from her daughter Cathy Garner Oram about the biblical nature of suffering from flooding.”