An appeal to help families affected by floods has been extended to support Evening News readers hit by this summer's storms and downpours.

The Norwich Evening News and Norfolk Community Foundation is today releasing £10,000 to aid people in the city after a series of downpours caused flash flooding and damage to properties.

The EDP Norfolk and Lowestoft Flood Appeal was initially launched last December to help devastated communities after millions of pounds of damage was caused to the coastline in the tidal surge.

That appeal has now been extended to people living in Norwich who have been affected by flash flooding over the last three months.

Applications for the final £10,000 of the flood appeal cash will be open from the beginning of next month and the money will be made available to householders hit by internal flooding to their properties in the Norwich City Council boundary.

Nigel Pickover, editor-in-chief, said: 'The recent flash floods in Norwich show how vulnerable we can be to severe weather events. I'm delighted this money will help people to get their lives back on track with these emergency grants.'

Several homes and businesses in Norwich were flooded during a spate of summer thunderstorms and torrential downpours, which included flash floods on May 27, July 20, and on August 10, which was caused by the remnants of ex-hurricane Bertha.

Graham Tuttle, chief executive of the Norfolk Community Foundation, which administers the fund, said: 'The opportunity to help some of the residents of Norwich affected by the recent flooding is very much an unseen and unexpected bonus from the original work of the flood appeal we launched in December 2013.

'We are really pleased that the small amount of funding we had left had been able to continue to support those people whose lives have been affected by flooding here in Norfolk.'

A number of properties in Beatrice Road and Ella Road suffered flood damage, and also Lionwood Infant and Nursery School.

Brenda Arthur, leader of Norwich City Council, said: 'I would like to thank people for their generosity as part of the appeal - it is always pleasing when people recognise the need to help others. I'm delighted there is some money available for people in Norwich.

'I am sure it is very distressing when people's properties have suffered from floods. I am pleased there is money available for people that have experienced huge amounts of inconvenience and had property damage. It is great to see that generosity is still there and across the whole of Norfolk.'

A tidal surge on the evening of December 5 caused major damage to the Norfolk coastline and Lowestoft areas, which prompted the launch of the flood appeal to help local councils identify people in need of swift financial help.

More than £330,000 was donated to the fund by generous local people, local authorities, businesses, trusts, charities and other agencies.

Chloe Smith, Norwich North MP, said: 'I welcome this extension to the fund. It has been a successful campaign by the EDP and Evening News and it is important to get it used. I have been helping constituents in northern Norwich in these recent floods and in particular holding Anglian Water to account for the works that are needed to be done to stop this happening again and I would urge people if they need help in the short-term to apply for these funds.'