Flood pumps damaged by 'vandalism'

Pumps similar to this one have been damaged in Lincolnshire.

Pumps and other equipment used to protect homes from flooding have been vandalised and damaged in recent weeks, according to the Environment Agency.

The agency, which is responsible for preventing flooding, said monitoring equipment and pumps were damaged at "five separate locations" across Lincolnshire.

Hundreds of homes have been flooded in Lincolnshire after multiple named storms in recent months.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said the damage "increases the risk to people and property".

Lincolnshire has been repeatedly been hit by flooding in the last six months

'1,866 litres per second'

An Environment Agency spokesperson said pumps were actively involved in reducing the impact of flooding in Lincolnshire.

The damage caused an increase in the workload of teams "whose priority was to deal with floodwater".

"It also increases the risk to people and property," they added.

One of the pumps was capable of moving up to 1,866 litres (410 gallons) of water per second, the other 200 litres per second.

The authority said it had increased security in response to the vandalism.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]