THE risk of flooding to homes in Wantage has been reduced after tonnes of silt and debris were removed from the town’s Letcombe Brook.

A tanker pumped more than ten tonnes of silt from the brook last week to boost the brook’s flood defences.

It is hoped the £15,000 project will prevent the brook from breaking its banks in future. The first stage of the scheme was finished in October and involved the installation of groynes to narrow the width of the brook.

The decision to boost the flood defences was made after 37 properties along Mill Street flooded in 2007.

Sally Wallington, the Letcombe Brook Project officer, oversaw the project.

Ms Wallington said: “For years the area has been renowned for flooding so this is very welcome.

“The last stage has been difficult because as the tanker was sucking out silt it would also pick up the rubbish people had dumped. There were lots of bricks and slates. This coupled with the groynes should have a major effect and hopefully prevent floods in the future.

“It is the first time something like this has been done for at least 15 years.”

The backers of the project are the Letcombe Brook Project, Oxfordshire County Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and the owners of The Old Mill, in Mill Street.

Craig Hart, a resident of The Old Mill, said: “I think these improvements are very important. I was one of those flooded in 2007 and the work to repair it still hasn’t been completed.

“We’ve had to suffer but now the local agencies have got their act together and with a bit of luck this should stop us going through all that trouble again.”