FLOOD defence work to protect houses in Barnoldswick is under way.

Sandbags along Skipton Road, which had been in place since the Boxing Day floods last year, have been emptied into the area being built up as a permanent earth bank to protect houses at Ghyll Meadows.

Town, borough and county councillor David Whipp said the sandbags had successfully saved houses from being flooded, but it had meant the flood resilience fund had not been available to them.

"We saved two dozen houses from flooding, but it did mean they didn't qualify for flood resilience grants," he said.

Funding for the flood barrier project has come from both Pendle Borough Council and Barnoldswick Town Council.

Many residents although grateful for the sandbags, will be pleased to see them go.

Opportunists had split open the bags open, which left them in an increasingly scruffy state.

However, many residents have long memories of the Boxing Day flooding and appreciated all the hard work that went into putting the sandbags in place.

In June, Skipton Road resident Christine Dickinson said: "I live directly opposite the sand bags and they don't bother me in the least because I know why they are there and I know all the hard work and community spirit that went into those sand bags on Boxing Day."