Summary:
Lord Chris Smith could be safe in his Scottish retreat, should the weather take a turn for the worse, amid more stormy weather in the south of England.

Full article:
By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:12 EST, 15 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:12 EST, 15 February 2014 . As a relaxed Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith left his £1.5million London home for work on Friday amid more storm chaos, he could be comforted by the knowledge that his weekend retreat in a remote Highlands hamlet has its own flood defences. What’s more, the village was named yesterday as one of the driest places in the UK. Lord Smith is a frequent visitor to the four-bedroom property in the village of Alligin, which has seen 50 per cent less rain than its normal seasonal average. Environment Agency chairman Lord Chris Smith heads to work on Friday . Safe: This is Lord Smith's Highlands retreat, named as one of the driest places in the UK yesterday . And should the Highland weather take a turn for the worse, Lord Smith’s home is protected from the waters of the nearby loch by its own flood defence scheme – a sturdy stone wall built specifically for that purpose. Lord Smith would not comment on his Scottish retreat last night. Elsewhere, areas of southern England, including Henley-on-Thames (pictured), are experiencing heavy flooding .