The three ponies, including a Shetland, live in a field and stables off Folly Lane in the village.

Their owner, Pat Radmall, is on constant weather watch in case heavy rainfall causes the brook that runs behind her field to overflow.

Mrs Radmall believes a pipe that carries the stream under the adjacent Oxford canal is blocked, causing water to gush through her land and flood the lane.

She said: "It might be Napton-on-the-Hill, but it's the wettest place on earth.

"I panic when it starts to rain heavily because it just comes up suddenly and then whoosh it's gone through.

"It just ruins everything all the time. I lose all my bedding and if one of the ponies was ill they couldn't stay in the stable as they'd be up to their knees in water.

"The little Shetland's going to have to learn to swim."

The water also floods the lane, stopping residents driving to their homes and others from reaching the businesses in the old coalyard.

Mrs Radmall, who is teaching her grandson Toby, eight, to ride, has contacted the Environment Agency, British Waterways and Stratford District Council over the issue.

She added: "We had a flood just before Christmas and last weekend it was very close to coming over again.

"I rented this field in the 1980s and it only flooded once, but I don't believe it's climate change.

"I have spoken to the authorities, but I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. It's high time somebody got off a chair and came out to have a look."

Coun Nigel Rock (Lib Dem, Stockton and Napton) is looking into the problem.

He said: "It's quite right the district council protects homes first, but if there are actions that can be looked at, in terms of who is responsible, they should be investigated."

District council land drainage officer Carol Ashley said: "Flooding of properties is our main concern. If it's highways flooding, that is the responsibility of Warwickshire county Council.

"We are trying to bring various parties together at the moment to find out what is happening."