England’s automated flood warning system to stay despite inaccuracy warnings

Environment Agency says system trialled during strikes will continue for now despite false alarms and late warnings

The flood warning system relied on by hundreds of thousands of households in England will be put on permanent autopilot, officials have said, despite warnings it is inaccurate.

The Environment Agency has been trialling an automated flood warning system since December, when strike action by workers over years of below-inflation pay deals left gaps in incident rosters.