WREXHAM and Chester could be among the worst hit cities by floods starting in just a few decades, according to research.

A study published by Newcastle University shows the impact of flooding, droughts and heatwaves on Europe's cities between 2050 and 2100 will exceed previous predictions.

According to the results, all 571 cities and towns examined will see a worsening of heatwaves and 85 per cent of UK cities and towns with a river are predicted to face increased flooding - with Chester and Wrexham predicted to be among the worst affected.

The data also shows 98 per cent of European cities could see worse droughts in the future and cities in Southern Europe may experience droughts up to 14 times worse than today.

Dr Selma Guerreiro, lead author of the study, said: "Although southern European regions are adapted to cope with droughts, this level of change could be beyond breaking point.

“Furthermore, most cities have considerable changes in more than one hazard which highlights the substantial challenge cities face in managing climate risks.”

Professor Richard Dawson, co-author and lead investigator of the study, said the implications of the study in terms of how Europe adapts to climate change are far-reaching.

He said: "The research highlights the urgent need to design and adapt our cities to cope with these future conditions.

“We are already seeing at first hand the implications of extreme weather events in our capital cities.

"In Paris the Seine rose more than 4 metres above its normal water level. And as Cape Town prepares for its taps to run dry, this analysis highlights that such climate events are feasible in European cities too.”

Of the European capitals, Dublin, Helsinki, Riga, Vilnius and Zagreb are likely to experience the most extreme rise in flooding.

For a high impact scenario, several European cities could see more than 80 per cent increases on peak river flows, including Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Cork and Waterford in Ireland, Braga and Barcelos in Portugal and Derry/ Londonderry in the UK.