RESIDENTS in Brislington are being given advice on what to do if a "once-in-a-thousand-years" flood were to hit the area.

A team of emergency planners at Bristol City Council are holding a meeting today to inform people who live near Brislington Brook on what they should do if it bursts its banks.

The brook runs from Hengrove through to Brislington and St Anne's before joining with the River Avon. But if it burst its banks more than 400 adjacent properties could be flooded.

Today staff from the Environment Agency, the fire service and the council's civil resilience team, which co-ordinates planning for emergencies, are holding an awareness event at South Bristol Sports Centre on West Town Lane to advise residents on whether their homes are at risk and what they can do to prevent floods.

Chris Bengey, a fireman who works in the civil resilience team, attended a Brislington neighbourhood forum meeting last night to talk to people about potential risks.

He said: "The brook is susceptible to flash flooding when there are heavy rains - a similar type of flooding that hit Boscastle in Cornwall in 2004. The flood risk we are highlighting here at the moment is a one-in-a-thousand years event. But it could happen at any time, as it's not something that's easy to predict.

"If this type of flood were to hit, there are 410 properties that would be hit. It could go into their gardens and their homes and cause damage, and would affect transport and day-to-day events. So we're having an awareness day so people can find out about the risk of flooding and what they can do to mitigate the impact in their area."

The civil resilience team will talk about planning and what the community can do to protect itself. Advice will be given, ranging from places of safety to what to put in an emergency bag if residents need to evacuate.

The Environment Agency will also have a flood map to show where is at risk, and residents can sign up to an early warning scheme and receive flood alerts by text, e-mail or phone call.

Mr Bengey said: "The main advice if there is a suggestion of severe flooding is 'go in, stay in and tune in'."

The last major flood in the area happened in 1968 when a double decker bus was marooned in Brislington Road and waters rose so high people were stranded upstairs in the King's Arms pub on Hollywood road.

Councillor Peter Main (Lib Dem, Brislington West) said more attention had been paid recently to small rivers in south Bristol.

The flood awareness event runs from 2.30pm until 7.30pm today. For more, call 0117 903 7322.