EXPERTS have warned that a vast rural area in North Yorkshire could suffer a repeat of disastrous flooding unless better maintenance is carried out on miles of rivers, streams and ditches.

Hundreds of acres of farmland flooded and homes and businesses near the River Derwent were hit hard, costing families tens of thousands of pounds, during floods in 1999 and 2000.

Now, an investigation into Ryedale's land drainage has been carried out by the district council's overview and scrutiny committee, whose members interviewed landowners, farmers and leaders of the area's three drainage boards .

They also talked to representatives of organisations including English Nature, the North York Moors National Park, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency.

The drainage boards said that if more, and better, maintenance was not carried out, flooding could occur again even during less extreme rainfall.

Members of the all-party committee, under chairman Councillor Pam Anderson, have published a 30-page report which says the farming community needs to work with the drainage boards to develop river basin management plans.

The report says more steps are needed to ensure that all interested parties are involved.

It adds that the Environment Agency should negotiate with the National Park Authority on improving land management to slow the rate of water running off the moors into the Derwent and its tributaries.