Bottleneck stream causing floods to be improved

Hans Shortt said he has risked his life clearing rubbish from the stream

A stream bottleneck that has been blamed as one of the key causes of floods in a town is currently the focus of major engineering works.

Blockages of Mill Stream in Norfolk, which flows through Besthrope and Attleborough, is thought to have contributed to the floods that affected 130 homes after Storm Babet brought torrential rain to the county in October 2023.

According to Local Democracy Reporting Service residents living alongside the watercourse in Mill Lane have warned of the problems there in previous years.

It is hoped installation of a new trash screen will enable better access for people to clear and prevent plant matter or litter from getting stuck and blocking the flow of water downstream.

Tony Watling of Besthrope Parish Councul said it had "been a long wait to get it sorted"

Hans Shortt, 70, who lives with his wife, Lynn, in Mill Lane previously said he had been “risking his life” by wading into fast-flowing water to keep the old trash screen clear.

The Attleborough Flood Group, set up following floods in 2023, to help the community organise and be better prepared to prevent flooding in the future.

They are holding regular meetings ahead of winter and recently, a group of volunteers have cleared 90 tonnes (90,000kg) of plant material, debris and sediment from the watercourses around Mill Lane.

Tony Watling, chairman of Besthorpe Parish Council, said: “It is great this is finally being started, it has been a long wait to get it sorted... It is where lots of problems have occurred in recent years.

“This is one piece of the jigsaw and everyone is pleased something is happening."