Major investment to improve river's water quality

The project is part of a wider £94.5m investment into 12 projects across Fylde and Wyre

A new underground storage tunnel is being built to reduce storm overflows and improve water quality at Wrongway Brook, a tributary of the River Ribble in Lancashire.

United Utilities (UU) said the £5.5m project will hold more than 2,000,000 litres (440,000 gallons) – the equivalent of around 26,000 bath tubs of water.

The company said the work will take place between the railway line and playing fields in Kirkham, avoiding any disruption to local traffic, adding that the upgrade should be finished by summer 2026.

The scheme is part of a wider £94.5m investment into 12 projects across Fylde and Wyre over the next five years, the water firm said.

Local resident, Richard Witts, said he hoped the works would stop flooding at the playing fields

When complete, the storage tunnel will give Kirkham's wastewater network additional capacity during times of heavy rainfall and help to improve water quality by reducing storm-water discharges.

The first phase of the project will involve upgrading the sewer network with larger pipes.

A 300m-long tunnel will then be constructed more than four metres below ground, to be linked to the new pipework.

Simon Holding, county business lead for wastewater services in Lancashire, said: "Wastewater from Kirkham travels through the sewer network to the pumping station at Freckleton before going on to the wastewater treatment works at Clifton Marsh, Preston.

"Creating this extra capacity means that it isn't all hitting either the pumping station or the wastewater treatment works all at the same time, and the system is less likely to be overwhelmed."

Local resident, Richard Witts, said he hoped the works would put an end to flooding at the playing fields.

"They did some work a few years ago - they built a big holding tank. Obviously that's not working," he said, "but I'm all for it if it's going to alleviate the flooding."

Peter, from Wesham, said the area had "flooded in the past, so I think it will save a the residents a lot of concerns".