Homes at risk of 'imminent flooding'
This is according to members of the Grimsby residents action group, Floodwatch.
The group claims that a lack of action by the Environment Agency could cause flooding at any time.
As reported, the River Freshney was the subject of a review following the floods in June 2007, but it has been claimed it is liable to flood again due to inaction from the Environment Agency.
Chairman of Floodwatch Dr Harry Buckland, of Augusta Close, Grimsby, said: "After the floods in 2007, the agency said that they would issue a report in June 2008 outlining the plans to help with flood management in Grimsby. Still there is no report.
"The Freshney is just as liable to flood now as it was then as there are a number of issues throughout the drainage basin.
"We believe the Environment Agency has a history of failure in this department, and they appear to be more concerned with making excuses than concerning themselves with people's livelihoods."
The flooding in June 2007 caused nearly £5-million of damage to homes in North East Lincolnshire.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "Initial modelling work has been done using data from the June 2007 and January 2008 weather conditions.
"It shows that the conditions in June were a one-in-200-year event and the defences were originally constructed to a one-in-100-year standard. These more recent studies have shown that protection now is about one-in-50 in some places.
"The findings of the modelling have been presented verbally to North East Lincolnshire Council.
"A pre-feasibility study is being carried out at the moment to see if anything can be done about this level of protection."
Mr Buckland said: "For my money, the powers that be have not taken the necessary steps to ensure that the Freshney does not flood again.
"As we can see, even at this time of year the New Cut Drain appears clogged, the Freshney is still leaking into it and the river is very high running down toward the Willows estate."
In 2007, Dr Buckland helped his son-in-law, Jim Hawkins, to pump the water from his flooded house on the Willows Estate, after claiming that the council did nothing to help residents who had been flooded.
This prompted Dr Buckland to set up the action group in June 2007 to help prevent further flooding.
As reported in the Grimsby Telegraph, the Government is introducing measures to make local councils responsible for flooding in their area.
Look out for more
Keep reading your Grimsby Telegraph for an in-depth look at the River Freshney, as reporter Andy Edgeworth went out to look at it with Dr Buckland.
