A senior Conservative MP has warned chancellor George Osborne to think twice before passing on responsibility for funding flood defences to local authorities.

The comments form Anne McIntosh, chairman of the Commons environment select committee were made after weekend newspaper reports suggested Mr Osborne will tell councils to fund flood defences themselves, following further cuts to the environment budget.

Documents obtained by newspapers suggest there would be no central government funding for flood defence schemes, estimated to cost £1.6bn, over the course of the next parliament.