RIVER modelling work carried out on the island at Corbridge in the wake of Storm Desmond suggested there was a minor increase in the flood risk due to the large amount of vegetation on it.

The Environment Agency took steps to remove the vegetation as part of its £3m flood recovery work in the North-East, and last October its field team spent two weeks on phase one of the project, removing a large number of trees and heavy vegetation from the island.

Phase two of the project – to destroy root systems to discourage the vegetation from growing and establishing so quickly – started on Monday last week and is due for completion this week.

Alan Cadas, operations manager for the Environment Agency, said: “The £3m flood recovery programme was a substantial piece of work which saw essential repairs and improvements made to flood defences in the Tyne Valley following Storm Desmond.

“We said last year that we would return to Corbridge to carry out more work on the island and this work is ongoing. After this, we plan to carry out work as part of our ongoing maintenance programme to remove any further vegetation that arises.

“This will, however, need to be monitored and the work planned as required.

“And as ever, we will keep the community updated with our plans.”

Other work carried out in Corbridge last year as part of the flood recovery programme included repairing and reinforcing flood banks in the village.

And the agency is also planning to carry out some minor repairs to the embankment at The Stanners in the coming weeks. It’s a continuation of work carried out last year and includes reprofiling a 100m section of the existing embankment and repairing scours.

Storm Desmond in December 2015 saw record rainfall drop on to already saturated land, leading to some of the highest river levels recorded on the River Tyne since 1771.