PERSONAL accounts of what it was like to be caught up in last year's flooding in Gloucestershire are needed for a permanent record of the disaster and cash prizes are on offer.

The Gloucestershire Floods Project, an initiative from Bristol University, aims to record and document the experiences and memories of people in the county affected by last year's floods.

Dr Shelley Hales, who is running the project, said: "The floods that hit Gloucestershire in the summer were the worst natural disaster to hit the county for many years. Thousands of people were affected.

"For some the floods will have been a huge adventure, for others an inconvenience and for others a terrible tragedy as they lost possessions, homes and even friends and family. Long after the waters receded, we are all still feeling the effects.

"We'd like to invite people across the county to get involved in this important project. All they have to do is to send us their documentation of the floods.

"This could be accounts of personal experiences, essays about the cause of the floods or the authorities' response to the emergency, photographs or even video clips."

She added that creative responses such as stories, poems, drawings, collages and performance would all be acceptable for the project.

There will be cash prizes in two categories: 1st (£50) and 2nd (£25) prizes for single entries and 1st (£100) and 2nd (£50) prizes for group entries.

Written compositions should be no more than 2,500 words and the deadline is 18 April 18.

All the details, other entries and access to online chat groups can be found at: http://moodle.bris.ac.uk/moodle/course/view.php?id=45 Just click on 'login as guest' Alternatively email: shelley.hales@bristol.ac.uk or post entries to School of Humanities, University of Bristol, 11 Woodland Road, Bristol. BS8 1TB.