Flood defences 'not good enough'

The flood prevention scheme was introduced months before the surge

Extensive flooding in the village of Milnathort was partly due to river defences being built lower than recommended, investigators believe.

Water surged into the Perth in Kinross village centre on 13 December last year after heavy rainfall made the Back Burn rise to exceptional levels.

An £500,00 flood prevention scheme had been put in place four months earlier.

Perth and Kinross Council are expected to discuss a recent engineers' report on the causes of the flood.

The flood prevention scheme was designed by Arup Scotland, which was subsequently asked by the council to investigate the causes the flood.

Permanent solution

Consulting engineers Atkins were appointed to provide independent verification of the findings.

The investigators found that the standard to which the scheme had been specified - a one in 100 year event - was appropriate in line with national advice.

They concluded that the river defences failed because an embankment was built a foot lower than intended and was swept away.

This allowed the floodwater to surge into properties around the centre of the village.

Emergency services were called out to rescue people trapped in farm buildings following the surge of water during the night and village power supplies were cut.

Investigators said that if the scheme had been built to the intended level at all points, flooding would have been "considerably less severe".

A temporary solution is currently in place and the contractors have been asked to work on providing a permanent solution as a matter of priority.