PEOPLE living in Skinningrove have been learning how to operate a new state-of-the-art flood defence system.

Staff from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have been trained already and now volunteers who live in the village are being shown how to use the system at Stone Row Bridge.

The volunteers have agreed to be on bad weather standby in case of a recurrence of the devastating floods in July and November 2000.

During the floods, debris blocked the bridge, causing water and sewage to spill into the streets.

The new system involves lowering the ten sections of parapets along the bridge and closing the gates at either end.

Other improvements to the village's flood defence systems include better communication links with the installation of telemetry equipment at the bridge and an upstream reservoir. The information is regularly fed to the borough council.

Local people have welcomed both the defences and the practice session, according to the council's contracts manager Peter Swan. He said: "They are very confident that the system is going to work, and are keen to be involved.

"We would hope that any future flood warning would give the residents several hours to prepare for the worst.

"Of course, our own officers would be mobilised, too, but the residents can be a major help by learning to use the floodgates.

"The horrors of the real thing, probably in the early hours of a winter's morning, may not match the conditions of a sunny day in Skinningrove, but practice and familiarity with the system is essential. And this way, if there are any problems, we can iron them out."

Coun Dave McLuckie, lead member for community safety, with the council, said: "I always envisaged the people of Skinningrove would control the opening and closing of the gates, and this session showed them how effective they can be in protecting the village.