WORK is due to start soon on a £50,000-plus project to help protect properties on a Northallerton housing estate from further serious flooding damage.

The project prepared by the River Wiske internal drainage board for College Stell, in Thirsk Road, represents the first flood alleviation scheme for the town, battered by severe flooding in 2000 and again earlier this year.

Two years ago, 21 houses on the St James's Close estate were inundated during floods when College Stell burst its banks. Furniture and other property was ruined and householders had to move out until their homes could be made fit again.

The drainage board work on College Stell will involve realigning the watercourse and building a steel-piled wall about two metres high to hold back the water at times of flooding.

The work has just been approved by Defra, which is covering 45pc of the cost. Another 6pc has come from Upland Water, a separate Government grant scheme for farmers.

Hambleton District Council gave £6,000 and Wimpey, which built the estate, contributed £7,000.

Coun Jack Dobson, Mayor of Northallerton and a member of the internal drainage board, said the scheme had taken longer than anticipated.

"We let the contract more than a year ago but told the successful contractor that we could not start until we got the money from Defra, and the contractor kindly gave us two 90-day extensions.

"We have now got Defra approval, but the earliest the contractor could start is after the Christmas break and we expect the work to take three to four months.

"This is a small but very important contract. It is good news for people in St James's Close. The scheme will give them well over 90pc protection and they will be able to go to their insurance companies and say something has been done to protect their properties."

* The first newsletter of the Hambleton flood forum has been produced and is being sent out to homes threatened by recent floods in Northallerton, Romanby, Brompton, Stokesley, Great Ayton and Thirsk. It will also be available in local libraries, council offices and through parish councils.

The forum brings together agencies including the county and district councils to find solutions and identify responsibilities for action.

It met for the first time last month, when members heard about a series of exhibitions next week detailing plans for the Northallerton area.

* Details of flood exhibitions: Page 10.