Flood village 'still in danger'

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Some people have complained the agency is focusing too heavily on Morpeth

Residents of a Northumberland village says more needs to be done to protect their homes from flooding.

Last September about 50 properties in Rothbury were flooded and the village was threatened again this weekend.

Fourteen people in the Maltings area had to leave their homes due to rising water levels on the River Coquet.

The Environment Agency said work at Coplish Burn had protected 23 properties and it was now looking at all the communities on the Coquet.

Residents from some of the houses evacuated at the weekend had only returned home in April following last year's floods.

We need to start now to look at all the villages and towns on the Coquet Phil Marshall, Environment Agency

Rothbury councillor Steven Bridgett said: "It just feels as if the Environment Agency haven't learned anything from the floods in September.

"Something should be looked at to alleviate the flow of water coming down before it even gets to Rothbury.

"There are a lot of flood plains up the valley which could be utilised to store more water."

Phil Marshall, from the Environment Agency, said: "We believe the Coplish Burn work protects about 23 properties in Rothbury and we spent £250,000 upgrading a very old culvert that was built in 1880.

Morpeth flooding

"That's part of the work. There's also an existing flood defence there that protects about five properties down at the riverside."

Some local people have complained the agency is focusing its efforts too heavily on Morpeth, where more than 1,000 homes were flooded in 2008.

Mr Marshall said: "I can see why people think that, but when you consider we've been looking at Morpeth for a number of years, it does take a number of years to plan something.

"So we need to start now to look at all the villages and towns on the Coquet and that's what we're starting to do."