Euston Estate farmer allows land to flood to protect Thetford

Andrew Blenkiron said the Euston Estate was storing flood water to protect settlements downstream

A farmer said he has allowed hundreds of acres of his land to flood to protect settlements further downstream.

Andrew Blenkiron, of the Euston Estate near Thetford in Suffolk, said the River Black Bourn had burst its banks several times in recent months.

He said by storing the water, farmers could protect others against floods.

Mr Blenkiron said he received a "small payment" from government to protect the grassland but has called on more compensation for farmers.

"There's about 100 acres of water behind me, usually grazed by sheep getting ready for lambing time. Further down the river towards Thetford there's a further 300-400 acres also underwater," he said.

"It is actually holding back some of the water, avoiding flooding Thetford."

The River Black Bourn has burst its banks several times in recent months

Mr Blenkiron called on the government and eco-conscious big businesses to help fund making farmland more effective at storing water.

But he explained there were already benefits for farmers, such as helping to create grassland ready for grazing by cattle and sheep in the summer.

The stored water could also be pumped out onto fields during dry summer months, he said.

"It's clearly not suitable for everybody," Mr Blenkiron added.

"Those people with highly productive arable land that needs to be protected from flooding have got to be a priority.

"We've got to focus on producing food for everybody in this country, there's no question about that."

As much as 500 acres of farmland at the Euston Estate could be flooded

The farmer said he had seen up to 3in (8cm) of rainfall in one day.

"It's the intensity and frequency of those extremes that are now occurring that farmers on the frontline are faced with," he said.

The National Farmers Union has said those who intentionally flood their land to protect people and property were "performing a public good" but has asked for more support, including from the Environment Agency.

A Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) spokesman said it was "acutely aware" of the impact extreme weather had on farmers.

"Farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their land by exceptional flooding will be able to apply for grants of up to £25,000 through the farming recovery fund," they said.

The spokesman said Defra had protected more than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land from the impacts of flooding since 2015.

The EA added: "We work closely with farmers and we can and do dredge watercourses where there is evidence it would be beneficial."