PEOPLE living along the banks of the River Usk in Caerleon are frightened that their homes will be flooded next week.

The flood defence wall near their homes has collapsed - and now they fear next week's high tides will see water swamping more than 60 houses near Isca Road.

Lin Gray, of the Isca Road Residents Association, said urgent action is needed to protect the houses.

The wall, which protects the houses, collapsed on July 7 and the next tidal peak on Monday is expected to reach road level at the damaged section.

Mrs Gray said a 15 metre section of the wall collapsed during heavy rain, and slipped down the riverbank, taking part of Isca Road with it. The road is now closed and sandbags have been provided.

"The sandbags are unlikely to withstand the weight of the river if it reaches that level next week," Mrs Gray said.

"To make matters worse, other sections of the wall are slowly moving down the riverbank and a gap several inches wide has opened up between the wall and the road."

Residents wrote to the Environment Agency for Wales to call for proper protection.

A spokesman for the agency told the Argus: "They were at risk of flooding before the wall collapsed and will still be at risk after it collapsed. We will do whatever is practicable to prevent any flooding."

He said that the temporary defence put up immediately after the collapse would be reinforced before the high tides and that workers would be on site during the next few weeks.

Residents also wrote to Newport council expressing concern about the damaged section of Isca Road which they say is "hazardous and a positive danger to all residents".

Carol Leslie, strategic director at the council, said: "Newport council and the Environment Agency for Wales have been jointly monitoring the Isca Road site and are currently working closely toward a sustainable solution for all concerned.

"Unfortunately the problem is not merely localised and therefore a quick fix is not workable.

"The solution lies in a major re-think of the flood defences along a greater length of the bank.

"This will obviously be costly and complicated work which will require significant dedication of resources from the council and the environment agency.

"There is an urgency to this work, however this urgency cannot be used to undermine a proper and safe solution."