PEOPLE living in two North Yorkshire villages have taken action to protect their homes from flooding and help improve road safety along a dangerous country lane, saving taxpayers thousands of pounds.

At Sinnington near Kirkbymoorside, where 15 homes were flooded when the river burst its banks last August, villagers stepped in to remove vegetation and tree branches when the Environment Agency offered no hope of the river being cleaned out for several years.

"We did the job over ten Sundays, in all weathers," said parish council chairman Bill Baldwin.

"Nothing had been done to the river for 20 years. Now, it is a showpiece once again, allowing not only the water to flow freely, but the appearance of the river has been enhanced to what it was when I was a youngster."

The 150 residents of nearby Malton have raised £6,000 to enable work to go ahead on providing a footpath along a quarter-mile route from the village to the community hall.

Veronica, Lady Piercy, who came up with the scheme, said: "We have been worried for a long time that people's lives were at risk, walking to the hall, especially on dark winter nights when it is most in use".

A number of events were held and the money has been presented to John Fort, North Yorkshire County Council's executive member for environmental services, towards the £34,000 scheme.

Councillor Fort said "It is a wonderful gesture by the villagers and has enabled a much-needed scheme to go ahead much earlier."