A VILLAGE previously affected by flooding has won £300,000 worth of funding to strengthen its defences.

Following a bid by Durham County Council to the Environment Agency, the money has been allocated to prevent future flooding in Witton Gilbert, near Durham City.

The area was declared a priority after heavy rainfall in June 2012 left the town under several feet of water, causing damage to a number of homes, roads and businesses.

The new funding will be used to repair the banks and improve drainage of Dene Burn which flows through the village.

Work costing about £30,000 has already been carried to replace a culvert and remove some of the debris surrounding it, one of the major contributory factors of the 2012 flood.

It is also hoped that the work will increase the capacity of Dene Burn to allow it to hold more water during periods of extreme rainfall. 

The necessary design and survey work is expected to take several months to complete before the work on the ground can begin.

Durham County Councillor Joe Armstrong, who represents Esh and Witton Gilbert, said: “The flooding which the people of Witton Gilbert have experienced in the past has been horrendous and the money from the Environment Agency is more than welcome.

“Hopefully it will ensure a permanent solution to the problem giving the residents peace of mind and ensure the security of their properties.”

Coun Mark Wilkes said: “The work to shore up the sides of the Burn as well as likely additional work can be developed now thanks to government funding.

“Residents can feel much safer in the knowledge that once this work has been done the risk of flooding will have been significantly reduced.”

Witton Gilbert Parish Council chairman Fraser Reynolds, whose home was flooded in 2012, said: “The whole of the centre of the village was turned into a lake. We have lived with this worry for many years. We look forward to be being able to sleep more easily."

The work is part of the council’s plan to spend more than £4m on flood prevention schemes throughout County Durham over the next 14 months.