A NEW home is being sought for a community radio station that has been affected by the Marlow floods.

In each of the last two years producers and presenters from Marlow FM have had to find a temporary home after their base at the Longridge Activity Centre was hit by floods.

And they now feel the time has come to move away on a permanent basis.

Broadcasts are currently being made from Marlow Methodist Church on Spittal Street, and although the intention is to move back to the Longridge studio when the floods have disappeared the longer term picture is currently unclear.

Paul Mansell, who presents a show on Marlow FM five times a week, said: "This is the second year running and it's far worse than last year. It's reached the stage where we are actually seeking to relocate.

"We are going to move back in to Longridge once everything settles down and there's no chance of any more flooding, but we are looking at our options.

"It's two feet deep around our studio at the moment. We're still going to be based in the Methodist Church for the forseeable future.

"We have to re-apply for a licence in two years' time and it would be nice to be able to plan ahead."

Mr Mansell said any departure from Longridge would be made with a heavy heart and admitted to concerns about financing a move.

He said: "Longridge charge us a pound a year in rent - there will be fees for everywhere else. We've sourced some in a good location but that would be £10,000 a year, which is beyond our means.

"It's a lovely place to be, it's a great location. For ten months of the year it's perfect but this is very disheartening. If it's going to happen on a continual basis we have to re-think what we do."

He added people had been thinking laterally about where any new studio could be.

He said: "There's plenty of ideas floating around. One suggestion is to put the studio on a boat and come the floods it just floats. It's not within the realms of impossibility."