A FRESH approach and further funding has been pledged to better protect the region from future flooding.

Swathes of North Yorkshire and County Durham were left underwater during the winter storms of 2015 and early 2016 that saw major rivers burst their banks and farmland left submerged.

Many farmers and residents are still feeling the effects, with increased insurance premiums and irreplaceable possessions lost.

Now groups of farmers and organisations across the region will benefit from a Facilitation Fund to help develop natural flood management projects.

Rather than building floodgates and stocking up on sandbags, this new approach seeks to work with nature through a variety of projects such as restoring ancient and native woodland and improving soil quality.

Organisations such as the National Trust, Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Rivers Trust are joining forces with farmers to plant trees, create water meadows and restore rivers to their natural meanders.

In the two years since the scheme began, 61 groups with 1,218 land managers have been supported, covering more than 273,000 hectares of land.

Farming Minister George Eustice said: “We are committed to helping farmers better protect their land, and surrounding communities, from flooding.

“We’re already investing £15m in natural flood management schemes across the country, making sure we protect homes and businesses, as well as protecting our precious wildlife.

“This exciting scheme is a win-win and will see us build-up flood resilience while at the same time achieving some real benefits for our rich natural habitats including our ancient woodlands, grasslands and moorlands.”

The Facilitation Fund the latest in a series of government-backed natural flood management projects and builds on £15m already committed to similar schemes across the country.

Chief executive of Natural England James Cross said: “The Facilitation Fund is enabling farmers to use natural flood management techniques, such as slowing the flow through river restoration and tree planting, which not only help to cope with the extreme climatic events that the environment is throwing at us but also benefit nature.

“We’ve relied heavily on local knowledge from our area advisers and the expertise of our partners to help groups put forward plans that will benefit nature at the same time as reducing the risk of flooding.”

Nationally, £5.4 million has been committed through the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund.