Environment Agency staff were withdrawn from a flood-hit area because of hostility from members of the public, it has emerged.

It is understood that staff were abused in the Wraysbury area of Berkshire, and have now been told to report any incidents to the agency.

Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said: "This report of hostility from the residents on the Thames is a direct result of the irresponsible attack by Eric Pickles [the communities secretary] and others on the EA. His incitement has led to the very people on the frontline who are actually helping to alleviate the situation bearing the brunt of people's frustrations.

"For more than seven weeks since Christmas the Environment Agency's staff have been run ragged helping and supporting the victims of flooding. GMB members have been working double and triple shifts around the clock to protect and assist."

The GMB said David Cameron had repeatedly refused to say whether he would halt planned redundancies at the EA when he was asked by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, at prime minister's questions. Grants to the EA have been cut in real terms by more than a quarter over the past three years, said the GMB.

"The government must immediately reverse the ludicrous cut of 1,700 EA jobs, followed by an independent inquiry into what are the realistic funding levels necessary to ensure the EA has both the capital budget to protect the country from flooding and drought and a big enough revenue budget to maintain, service and run these vital defences," Bowden said.

An Environment Agency spokesman confirmed that some of its staff had receive verbal abuse while working in Wraysbury on Monday.

"For a short while, we temporarily withdrew staff on the advice of the police," the spokesman said. "Our staff were back in Wraysbury yesterday and again today, working alongside members of the community and colleagues from other agencies as part of the continuing effort to deal with this exceptional period of weather and flooding."