WIRRAL residents could now receive text messages alerting them to local flood warnings from the Environment Agency.

Anyone who is on Three mobile network who live in areas at high risk of flooding in Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester will receive an automated text message to say that they have been automatically registered for the free warnings.

The text message will contain a link to let people know what they should do if they receive a flood warning and offer an option to opt out.

Area Flood risk manager at the Environment Agency Christian Wilcox said: “This new service in partnership with Three is a great example of how we are making more data and technology available to help people plan and prepare for potential floods.

“Being registered for flood warnings can give people advance notice of flooding and some crucial time to prepare. If you get the text, it is because you live in an area at risk of flooding, so we would urge people to stay registered to the service and learn what to do if you receive a warning."

Around 350,000 people will be registered on the service from October 8.

The Environment Agency has been automatically adding residents who live in high flood risk areas to the flood warning service since 2010 beginning with BT landlines then to EE and O2 mobile networks.

Residents on Vodafone will be added in the near future.

People who are not on the Three network can still receive free flood warnings by visiting: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/plan-ahead-for-flooding