A COUNCIL has pledged to take action over flooding which has turned a children's play area into a quagmire.

Residents of Marwood Drive, in Barnard Castle, are also concerned that flood waters may undermine the foundations of their houses.

Barnard Castle Town Council has promised to launch an investigation and take action.

The play area at Marwood Drive has always been susceptible to flooding, but the problems have increased dramatically over the past year.

Residents at the town council's annual meeting drew attention to the problem.

One woman said: "You can't even cut the grass there it's so bad.

"It's a beautiful play area and the kids can't use it this summer."

Marwood Drive resident, David Smith, said in bad weather his back garden can be almost a foot deep in water.

He believes a drain or an underground stream may be blocked, causing the water to back up.

He said: "It's always flooded for the past 25 years at the back of the garden in winter, but by February or March it was gone, this year it's seriously bad. One big concern is the kids playing in the field.

"It's nice to see the kids playing in the back and it's quite safe as the parents can keep an eye on them, but it only wants one of them to fall face down in that mud and it could be dangerous.

"Another big concern is the foundations of the house and subsidence, it's not just mine but it's right up the street."

So far, no one has taken responsibility for the flooding.

The town council has said it will organise a meeting between representatives of the Environment Agency, Northumbria Water and the National Playing Fields Association.

Councillor Newton Wood said: "Here we have gardens that are flooded and we have got to find out what is causing it as quickly as we can."