RESIDENTS in Northumberland are to get the chance to hear what weather protection measures are being taken to prepare for the coming winter.

Together with Hexham MP Guy Opperman, Northern Powergrid is holding two community meetings for residents to hear about improved measures being taken to prepare for any disruptions caused by storms this winter following those that occurred last winter from Storm Arwen and Storm Barra.

The severe weather last year saw about 100,000 homes across the UK left without power with thousands of homes in the North East left powerless for more than a week.

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The meetings will take place in Hexham and Bellingham this month.

Coordinated by Northern Powergrid and Guy Opperman, they will give residents an opportunity to view a presentation and ask questions on what structural improvements are being made to prevent a similar situation happening in future.

The first meeting will be held at Hexham Mart on Monday, September 26 from 6.30pm until 8pm.

The second meeting will be held in Bellingham on Friday, September 30 at 6pm.

Mr Opperman said: "We have two meetings next week with a view to ensuring that Storm Arwen and its effects are dealt with in terms of resilient planning by our local communities, and we have secured over a million pounds from Northern Powergrid out of their Community Trust Foundation to support parish councils, village communities and be more resilient in the way that they are preparing for storm events and winter events.

"The sort of things that we are thinking about is making sure village halls and emergency response centres are absolutely match fit for the future," he said.

Paul Glendinning, Northern Powergrid's Director of Policy and Markets, will attend the events. He said: "We welcome the opportunity to update local people and share what we've been doing since the storms to improve our response during severe weather events so we can better support our customers this winter."

Previous meetings were held in January by Mr Opperman, where he met with local residents in Bellingham Village Hall, Hexham Mart, Allendale Town Hall and Darras Hall Primary School in Ponteland.

His constituents' voices were heard by representatives of various stakeholders involved in responding to the consequences of Storm Arwen, including Northern Powergrid, Northumberland County Council, Northumbrian Water and Forestry England.