Flood funding helps fish migrate past new defences

More than £1m of funding has been announced for schemes to help migrating fish get past flood defences.

The Environment Agency said new fish passes would be built across the Midlands including projects at Stoke-on-Trent, Shrewsbury, Evesham and north-east Birmingham.

Fish passes help migratory species including salmon, sea trout and eels.

The Midlands Fish Pass Programme is part of a £2.3bn programme of government funding for flood defences.

An agency spokesman said: "Once these improvements are completed fish will be able to migrate much more easily along these watercourses."