It later emerged that Foye had absconded from the open prison on a previous occasion in 2005.

BBC: Robert Foye

He had been caught trying to climb into the tumble dryer on a previous occasion and knew how to operate it, she added.

BBC: Ashbourne mother relives tumble-dryer death horror

The number of properties affected on this occasion was significantly fewer than the previous flooding event in 2007, after which the council implemented a flooding risk reduction scheme in the area.

BBC: Flooding affects Reading houses despite new defences