VOLUNTEERS who operate the Shaldon floodgates are wondering if they are being left high and dry.

The Environment Agency, which monitors the weather conditions, told them on Tuesday the ten floodgates installed as part of the recent multi-million scheme to protect the village would not need to be closed on the evening spring high tide.

But hours later the agency sent a team of its own workers, at great expense, to close the gates.

Cllr Chris Clarance, the deputy flood defence team coordinator, was left scratching his head.

He said:?‘It was borderline whether the gates needed to close, but the agency rightly initially decided it was not necessary because the weather conditions were reasonable.

‘We have four teams of about 24 volunteers, and would have been quite prepared to close the gates if requested, even at night.

‘The next thing I know is that agency staff had arrived to do just that. We all thought it was an unnecessary journey and wondered why we were overlooked.

‘It is also a puzzle why the two gates at the most vulnerable locations, the Clipper and Ferryboat, were left open and none of the gates across the estuary at Teignmouth were closed.’

THIS EXTRACT IS TAKEN FROM A LONGER STOTU PUBLISHED IN THE TEIGNMOUTH POST ON 30.10.15.