A £500,000 PROJECT to strengthen Neasham's flood defences is expected to be carried out this spring.

Coun John Weighell, chairman of Neasham Parish Council, said he had received confirmation from the Environment Agency that the work had been approved.

He told Monday's parish council meeting that the work to reconstruct the downstream parapet wall of Kent Bridge will begin in the spring and will take about three months to complete.

Action was taken by the agency last year to strengthen the bridge's walls with temporary concrete blocks.

Now this will be replaced with a new parapet wall after the scheme was approved by the Northumbria Regional Defence Committee last month.

The £502,000 bill will be met by the Environment Agency.

Members welcomed the news as the parapet is regarded as the weak link in Neasham's flood defences and let water through when the village flooded several years ago.

Flood defence team leader, Steve Wragg, of the Environment Agency, said: "Neasham currently has protection against flooding from the River Tees and Kent Beck which joins the Tees.

"The River Tees defences protect the village from a flood that has less than a one per cent chance of happening in any one year. This level of protection was maintained with work following the November 2000 flood event.

"However, we are aware of the need to improve the standard of protection from flooding in Kent Beck and money is allocated in our long-term plan for a scheme.

"The feasibility of a scheme to provide additional protection will be investigated but it will have to be prioritised alongside our other flood defence needs."

After the meeting, Coun Weighell was also concerned that residents and visitors should take care during extreme weather. During gales on January 9, the village had flood emergency warnings because of extremely high river levels

"I appeal to people not to come sightseeing during these conditions as not only does it hamper emergency staff but it is highly dangerous to walk with children on a footpath adjacent to a fast-flowing river.

"I asked police to close the road through the village as 100 yards of Teesway was under deep floodwater and sightseers were ploughing through, creating bow waves into houses.