CONCERNS have been raised about the safety of flood defences after sandbags were brought overnight to a bridge in Neasham.

The bags were placed on Kent Bridge late on Saturday night by the Environment Agency, after heavy rains caused the River Tees to swell.

Nearly 100 sandbags were placed against the parapet wall of the bridge.

At a meeting of Neasham Parish Council on Monday, councillors expressed concern that the bags suggested a weakness in the flood defences.

Despite assurances given to the council in 1998 that defences were structurally sound, detailed survey work carried out last year has revealed a weakness in the steel reinforcing plate in the bridge wall.

But John Buxton, director for development and the environment at Darlington Borough Council, assured residents that the sandbags were only put in place as a precaution.

He said: "There is no risk of the bridge collapsing but we have realised that the reinforcing plate is not as strong as we first thought."

He said that the sandbagging was carried out overnight partly because of the late rains and partly as an exercise by the Environment Agency to practise its response times.

The sandbags are to be replaced by concrete beams, which will remain in place until the end of winter. Work to rebuild the reinforcements should start later in the year.