A SERIES of flood defence measures have been approved for one of the region's worst-hit areas.

Yesterday, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council approved measures aimed at preventing a repetition of flooding in the east Cleveland village of Skinningrove. The village has been devastated twice this year by flooding.

At a meeting in the village on Monday night, residents were told about the council's list of improvements to the problem beck, which will cost about £161,000.

The council said the improved flood defences, consisting of screens, flood walls, flood gates, storm drains and monitoring telemetry, have been given urgent priority. The council also announced an investigation into the drastic flooding earlier this month.

The council's lead member for the environment and infrastructure, Councillor Sylvia Szintai, and director of technical services, Ralph Ferguson, both addressed the meeting.

Some residents argued that raising the height of the bridge would ease the problem.

Mr Ferguson said: "There will be scope for add-ons, and work on the bridge is still an option."

The council's bid to convince the Government that Skinningrove should be upgraded to "main river" status to receive more accurate weather warning information has been given an encouraging response from Elliott Morley, Minister for Fisheries and the Countryside, in a letter to Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar.