Moves to tackle town's flooding

Measures are being proposed to ease the risk of flooding which has affected properties in parts of a Teesside town.

Homes and businesses in the Hartburn Avenue area of Stockton were hit when Lustrum Beck broke its banks last week.

The area has seen several damaging floods in recent years. Now frustrated residents have called for moves to tackle the problem.

The Environment Agency has agreed to construct an embankment and flood walls in an effort to ease the situation.

Resident Pat Clay, who lives close to the beck, said: "When the rains came last week, we just thought 'here we go again'.

Earth embankment

"Last week I had all my furniture upstairs again. It is a hassle and it hard work to have keep doing this."

Stockton Borough Council is to consider plans from the Environment Agency, which it is hoped will lessen the risk of flooding to properties in the area.

A spokeswoman for the agency said: "We plan to have an upstream storage area, which will involve the construction of a large earth embankment.

"During periods of high rainfall water will be stored in that area and thereby protect properties downstream.

"There will also be some localised defences, including flood walls throughout the town."

But she said that in the event the plans are approved by council bosses, any work is unlikely to start before 2007.