However, in those areas where the defences are either unfinished or not planned such as Gloustershire the fears are of a repeat of 2007.

Heavy storms which have battered Scotland for much of the last few weeks spread across the rest of the UK at the weekend, leaving six dead, including a builder who died in a trench collapse.

Scotland is facing a bill of more than £20m to repair the damage caused by a summer of heavy flooding, with Fife, Ayrshire and Strathclyde among the worst affected areas.

The Scottish Government has already pledged £126m to bolster the country's flood defences.