THOUSANDS of pounds are to be ploughed into a Hampshire town in a bid to save it from flooding.

Test Valley Borough Council has awarded £250,000 of funding to help Romsey defend against flooding.

The grant was awarded as part of The Romsey Flood Alleviation Scheme (RFAS).

That has evolved because of the floods in the winter of 2013-2014, when, after a spell of prolonged heavy rain, Romsey suffered both surface water and river flooding.

The parts of the town most severely affected were the Greatbridge area, the Budds Lane Industrial estate and The Causeway, west of the town. A number of businesses and homes were inundated.

The funding bid was made by the Environment Agency to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Mark Cooper, borough and town member for Romsey Tadburn, has welcomed the funding contribution.

He added: “The scheme will involve controlling the flow in the Fishlake Stream by use of a structure that has been likened to a cat-flap.

“There will also be work bone to raise the east bank of the River Test, some new floodplain management schemes and some earth mounds to protect the affected homes and businesses.”

The estimated cost of the Romsey scheme is £2.706million and the DEFRA grant is estimated as £1.055million, leaving a shortfall of £1.65 million.

“The Environment Agency is co-ordinating the bids from Hampshire County Council, Test Valley and, hopefully, the Regional Flood Defence Committee,” added Cllr Cooper

“Hampshire has already agreed half the partnership funding which is £825,000.

“Test Valley has given £250,000 and we now need to cover the shortfall of £575,000 which, hopefully, will be forthcoming from the Flood Defence Committee and other partners.”