Homes by troubled dock given flood safety protection

Homes have been fitted with extra protection ahead of high tides

Homes near a troubled dock have been fitted with emergency flood protection features ahead of high summer tides, as a broken port sea gate nearby has been removed because of long-running problems.

Glasson Dock near Lancaster has had problems for more than a year, affecting boat and ship movements, flood defences and the control of high tides and water levels.

Flood protection fittings have been installed on ground floor doors, sink and toilet drains at homes on Victoria Terrace and Railway Place at Glasson Dock.

It comes as the broken hydraulic sea gate at Glasson Dock itself was removed, as a new phase of work began in a bid to fix the infrastructure at the site, which is a hub for commercial shipping and port activities alongside leisure boats.

Homes were fitted with flood protection bricks and drain valves along with door barriers by contractors working with the Environment Agency (EA) and other authorities.

The broken sea gate has been removed for repairs

The broken dock sea gate forms part of wider sea defences at the River Lune estuary, connecting with Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea.

But the gate and a nearby canal lock at the next-door marina have both suffered from different structural problems for more than a year.

Local councillor Sally Maddocks said: "The biggest tide of the year is expected around midnight on August 22. So we are all working hard as a community to take precautions."

In June, Lancaster Port Commission, which runs Glasson Dock, the EA, the Canal & River Trust and Aquavista, which operates berths at Glasson Marina, issued a statement saying the broken sea gate repairs could run into next year or even 2026.