FLOOD-hit residents are to be given the chance to grill the Government minister responsible for flood measures.

At a meeting in Skinningrove, East Cleveland on Tuesday night, Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, told residents that he had spoken to Elliott Morley, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and a meeting would be arranged for the New Year.

Dr Kumar said: "That is an indication I have taken it up at the highest level."

The meeting will involve senior officers of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, but Dr Kumar said he hoped the council would accept a delegation of residents from the village, who could tell Mr Morley of their experiences of the floods.

He told The Northern Echo: "They can tell him about how they feel and their experiences. These people are experiencing hardship and can explain to him the difficulties and problems they are having to overcome."

He said that he hoped the input of the Skinnigrove residents would encourage the Government to re-assess how it deals nationally with flooding problems.