THE latest technology is to be harnessed to give flood victims a fighting chance to beat the elements.

Under the £2.7m scheme, up to the minute satellite weather forecasts will be beamed directly to the mobile phones and home computers of residents most at risk of flooding.

The information will give beleaguered householders a cutting edge in saving their property from further damage - providing a vital warning to save belongings or sandbag their homes.

Twice in the space of six months, residents of Skinningrove, in east Cleveland, saw their homes devastated by floodwaters.

In June 2000 and again in November of the same year, sewage and water flooded into their homes after the village beck became blocked with debris and burst its banks.

Other residents of Loftus, Carlin How, Brotton and Guisborough have been left mopping up and counting the cost.

The scheme involves forecasts being transmitted via the Internet, email and the mobile telephone text messaging service and is funded by the Government under the "Invest to Save" initiative.

The idea is the brainchild of the Environment Agency, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and the Met Office.

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar is also full of praise for the scheme.

"Last year, floods were traumatic for many communities and families in east Cleveland, particularly in Skinningrove and parts of Loftus.

"Hopefully now people can sleep safer in their beds knowing that there will be an early warning of any future flood risks."

Councillor David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said: "We all know that weather patterns are changing dramatically.

"There was clear evidence from the flash floods that affected many parts of our borough last year.

"We were told the first time around that we had experienced a once-in-a-century storm, only to experience an identical storm a few short months later.

"This initiative will be a lot of comfort to those communities who were badly affected last year as well as to groups of people - like farmers, fishermen and builders - who have a vital need to know what the weather has in store for them."