TWO flood defence schemes in the region have been awarded funding by the government.

The Stokesley Flood Alleviation Scheme has received £1.8m while the Marton West Beck in Middlesbrough has received the same figure as part of £62m announcement for defences across the country.

Leila Huntington, area flood and coastal risk manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said: “This is fantastic news for the region and we welcome the additional funding to help us reduce the risk of flooding to more properties across the area.

"The additional £3.6 million will help us to better protect over 300 homes and 50 businesses in Middlesbrough along the Marton West Beck and over 500 homes and 80 businesses in Stokesley.

"With climate change we can expect to see an increase in extreme weather events and we are committed to supporting communities to be more resilient to flooding now and into the future.

"Through these schemes we will not only reduce the risk of flooding to homes but also support the local economies and look for opportunities to improve the local environment. We will be discussing proposals with the communities over the forthcoming months.

"These schemes are being delivered as part of our capital investment programme for flood and coastal risk management."