After two deaths and biblical-level rainfall, we ask: what can Liverpool do to protect us from flooding?

On missing tech solutions; the curse of concrete; and stormwater-collecting public parks

Dear readers — last week marked the tragic deaths of Elaine and Philip Marco in Liverpool. The couple died after their vehicle became stuck in water at a well-known flooding hotspot in Queen’s Drive, and a number of other near-miss incidents in the past few weeks have since come to light. 

As a result, questions have rightly been raised about our region’s preparedness for flash floods, with many blaming antiquated drainage systems and a failure to implement proactive prevention methods. But what are questions minus answers? We’ve pursued possible solutions, covering everything from the global right down to those fixes that might be (literally) on your doorstep.

But first up, our news briefing — including the global hunt for Paul McCartney’s lost guitar and a codebreaking centenarian.