FAMILIES and businesses have been told to do more to save their homes and buildings from flooding.

Sir Michael Pitt, appointed by the Government to investigate last July's floods, made 92 recommendations in his final report released yesterday.

His main point was that victims have to take responsibility for saving their properties from future flooding and not just rely on the Government and other authorities.

Sir Michael visited the flood-hit home of Dr Peter Rawcliffe and his wife Maggie in Barleycott Lane, South Hinksey, and held the couple up as an example because of the work they have carried out.

They have been flooded out three times since 2000 and have replaced their wooden floor with stone, installed a pump and raised the electricity points higher up the wall.

Sir Michael said he was very impressed and added: "What this family has done is terrific. We recommend that people look at more ways to protect themselves and their families."

Dr Rawcliffe, a member of the Oxford Flood Alliance, said: "Rather naively (after 2000's flood), we replaced all the carpets and everything else, thinking there would not be another flood for 50 years.

"When we were flooded again in 2003, we learned our lesson and we used the insurance money - about £30,000 - to cover the cost of making our home more resiliant against flooding.

"We installed a stone floor in the kitchen area, with a sump and a pump underneath."

Instead of blaming the Government for failing to keep the water rushing into residential streets, Sir Michael said the problems stemmed from the way homes had been built, which forced families to wait for long periods for their properties to dry out.

He said building regulations were the key to ensuring new houses could withstand flooding and also make sure the right refurbishments were made after flood damage.

Referring to the example set by the Rawcliffe family, he added: "In 2007 their garden was a lake, exactly the same as previously, but they had no damage inside the house, didn't need to leave their home at all and didn't need to even claim insurance."

In his report he added: "Property owners need to take responsibility for protecting their homes and businesses.

"Individuals and families need to be more personally resilient. There are a number of practical measures which members of the public, including business owners, can and should consider taking to prepare for a possible flood.

"These included creating a personal stockpile of supplies, or flood kit, something which disappointingly few people had done in the past six months."

The report cited a survey of people hit by last year's floods that found 46 per cent had chosen not to make any changes to their property.