A FURIOUS Ryedale businessman told today how his garage came within a whisker of being flooded out - because new flood defences failed to operate properly.

Harold Darley said floodwaters were lapping at the doors of his business, Robson's Garage, in Welham Road, Norton, yesterday afternoon - only hours after the Environment Agency had lifted a flood warning for the area.

He said he had to move cars and equipment out of the way and turn customers away.

The near-miss happened because Millbeck, a stream which feeds into the River Derwent at Norton, rapidly backed up.

A penstock valve was installed recently by Ryedale District Council to prevent floodwaters from the Derwent backing up the stream.

Associated pumps were installed to pump water out of the beck into the river.

The council said today that the pumps were meant to start automatically when the penstock valve closed. But debris prevented the valve closing completely, and the pumps therefore failed to operate.

Spokesman David Summers said staff then started the pumps manually, after which the waters receded. Yesterday evening, they managed to close the valve completely.

He said the authority would be examining what happened to ensure the defences worked properly in future.

Mr Darley said he was livid. "I want an inquiry into what happened," he said. "What are we paying our rates for?"

Local resident Howard Keal, who was involved in campaigning for flood defences in the area, said he was relieved that the pumps began working in time to avert a potential disaster.

"It's absolutely essential that the council gets its act together and plugs any holes in the system."

Meanwhile, flood warnings were still in place today for riverside properties further down the River Derwent at Stamford Bridge.

Other warnings were in place for riverside paths alongside the Ouse in York, and also for access roads into Naburn. Another warning was in force for the River Rye at Butterwick Bridge.

Deluge village: Page 4

Updated: 11:07 Tuesday, December 31, 2002