AN entrepreneur who developed a market-leading storm drainage system to cut the risk of flooding to homes and businesses is opening a facility in the North-East to pioneer new products.

Damone Armstrong established H20 group in 2006 to develop the StormPod system, which stores excess rainwater that cannot initially be handled by existing drains, keeping it underground until it can be slowly released to prevent major surface flooding.

The system acts as the pivotal point in underground drainage networks, which are used to control the huge volumes of water that are generated during downpours.

Now, H20 is about to open a new production facility on the Rivergreen Industrial Estate, in Sunderland, to manufacture new products.

This includes the Modulus Sewage Treatment Systems for small housing and industrial developments not connected to mainline drainage, and R2D a rainwater harvesting system, which will allow homeowners to use rainwater within the home, saving on water bills and in turn helping the environment.

H2O received support from Business Link North-East (BLNE) and regional development agency One NorthEast - including a £20,000 grant - to develop these products.

Mr Armstrong said: "All of our products have been developed to meet vital gaps in the market following many discussions with major construction companies, water companies and civil engineers."