FLOOD defence campaigners in Ryedale received pledges from election candidates to protect a vulnerable North Yorkshire town.

Five contenders for the rural constituency were asked their opinion on a decision to shelve flood defence plans for Pickering.

Pickering Flood Defence Group received strong support from Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Liberal and UK Independence Party candidates

But they dismissed the Labour Party member's response as disappointing.

Tory candidate John Greenway pledged full backing for the continuing campaign for flood defences to be built to protect the town.

Liberal Democrat Gordon Beever, said: "It is an absolute scandal that after the misery caused by flooding the Government has failed to act."

Labour's Paul Blanchard claimed that money for the Pickering scheme ran out because of local failure to reach agreement. Liberal candidate John Clark said the Environment Agency's massive investment in planning a scheme it then failed to carry out was "just stupid".

Stephen Feaster, the UK Independence Party candidate, also supported a flood alleviation scheme.

Updated: 10:57 Tuesday, April 26, 2005