A government minister has paid a visit to a Wiltshire town centre battered by flooding during Storm Bert.

MP Emma Hardy, the Minister for Water and Flooding, was seen on Chippenham High Street with local MP Sarah Gibson and representatives from Wiltshire Council and Chippenham Town Council, including Cllr Nic Puntis, the portfolio holder for flooding.

The visit comes over 24 hours after the town centre was submerged by flood water, causing serious damage to shops on the High Street, during its worst flood in decades.

Ms Hardy looked in on multiple businesses impact by the flooding during a walk up the High Street, including G. Hatto Barbershop, before speaking to road sweeper operators.

READ MORE: Live updates as town centre deals with aftermath of serious floods

She then entered Chippenham Town Hall along with the rest of the group.

In September, the minister spoke about the importance of bolstering flood response in England, following incidents in central England.

At the time, she said: “These floods have devastated communities, homes, businesses, and livelihoods.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe.

“But more must be done to protect people and their homes. That is why the government is working at pace to accelerate the building of flood defences through our new Floods Resilience Taskforce.”