Planters to catch rain installed in flood-hit town

It is hoped more of the planters will be installed across Marlborough

Planters which take in rainwater have been installed in an attempt to ease flooding in a town.

Businesses and homes were flooded in Marlborough, Wiltshire, in January 2024, when the River Kennet overflowed after heavy rain.

The town council and charity Action for the River Kennet (ARK) have started a trial involving plant-filled troughs outside the public toilets in George Lane to capture rainwater, and hope that the scheme will be extended around the town.

Richard Spencer-Williams, Marlborough's town clerk, said: "We started to realise that we could use the funds for planting in a more practical way as well as make the place look nice."

The rain planters have been installed by charity Action for the River Kennet working with the town council

The planters have been funded by a government grant distributed by Wiltshire Council under its towns programme, aimed at transforming high streets.

The troughs use downpipes to catch rain water which then supports the plants.

Emma Binns, from ARK, said: "That helps take water out of the combined sewer network - if that's where the pipes go - and it also can filter the water that goes in there [the planters].

"This is just the first phase. We hope that it will spark some interest and people may just go ahead and make their own rain planters, and we hope to have subsequent phases of this project in the future."