VITAL work to protect Earby from flooding should be speeded up, a councillor has demanded.

Pendle councillor David Whipp is urging the Environment Agency to press ahead with a scheme to protect Earby.

He said: “More than two years after problems were highlighted, we are still waiting for any effective action on the choked Victoria Clough culvert.

“The scheme to repair the culvert, which is 90 per cent blocked at one point, is beset by endless delays.

“The EA must treat this with greater urgency.

“The general election is likely to cause further delays with £215,000 of flood resilience work in Earby as the minister concerned has insisted that all the projects have to be signed off by him.”

Cllr Whipp added: “There is some good news in the longer term for Earby.

“We’ve been successful at Pendle Council in getting a £600,000 European funding bid for flood work through to the second round. ”