A CIVIL engineer has come up with an action pack aimed at solving some of Northallerton's severe flooding problems.

He says it could cost as little as £100,000 to implement his ideas for the North End of the High Street - scene of chaos in last week's torrential rain.

Robert Thorniley-Walker says the problem is now urgent and he wants the mayor, Coun Jack Dobson, to carry his ideas forward. "People are frustrated that engineers have not come up with hard solutions," he said.

Mr Thorniley-Walker is a director of Structural and Civil Consultants, which has premises at the top of the High Street, and has worked on major flood relief schemes such as the Thames Barrier.

Though he lives in Osmotherley, he has worked in Northallerton for eight years and started to get to grips with some of the problems when he was trapped in the 2000 flood.

"Historically, the town has often flooded but not for several decades," he said. "The streetscape has evolved without consideration of the problem, which is now back with a vengeance."

He said his low-cost ideas could alleviate some of the worst of the flooding. "It could make quite a difference," he said. "And it would cost very little compared to the damage which is being caused.

"I want to see these simple measures started as soon as possible. Several could be done almost immediately to lower the level of flooding."

The main points of his scheme are:

* Accept that the Sun Beck culvert cannot be guaranteed to take all water beneath Friar Street and the High Street.

* Consider measures to allow the beck to flood in a more constructive way, so water is allowed out of town without creating a huge lake 1.3m deep to the north of the town hall.

"The number of properties at risk would be greatly reduced," said Mr Thorniley-Walker.

* Reduce the depth of the "lake" by five inches just by moving the sleeping policeman outside Fired Earth in either direction by 10m.

"This bump in the road acts as a dam," he said. "Once over this artificial weir, the floodwaters sped away to rejoin the beck further down the Applegarth car park.

"Several properties only had an inch or so of water and could be saved for a few hundred pounds."

* Reduce the level of the access road from the Applegarth by around 300mm to give a direct exit for the floodwater.

* Reinstate steel grids over open stretches of the culvert so water can bypass any obstacles blocking the culvert below and return to spare capacity after the blockage.

* Remove the vacant infill shop built on the old route of the beck. The timber shop front provides a barrier, trapping water in the High Street. Mr Thorniley-Walker says flooding could be reduced by a further 200mm.

* Check the design of drainage in the estates. Some manholes are said to be acting as fountains.

* On the night of the flood, fire officers had 40 calls but only two available crews. Mr Thorniley-Walker urges professional civilian back-up.

* Use the incidents to try out disaster training with closer links with the army.

Mr Thorniley-Walker also would like to see a community award to Maj Jim Snape for his work in helping during the floods. He said the retired Royal Engineers officer paddled knee-deep to help people, even though he had no protection but shoes and a sodden coat.

"For almost two hours he urged residents to build dams from turf, paving slabs, mattresses and bin liners," he said.

"This deflected water gushing down the street and reduced depths by a precious inch or so. He saved numerous homes from having water spilling over the threshold."

Last Friday, 63mm of rain fell on Northallerton in just 19 minutes and, as residents once again mopped up this week, anger boiled over.

Julie-Anne Mitchinson said her house and other homes in Crosby Road had been flooded for the second time in six weeks.

"The whole of the downstairs is ruined, twice as bad as the previous time," she said. "We have to start all over again even though we are still working out what to do after the last flood. It is awful."

A local businessman who did not wish to be named also hit out, blaming a culvert near the Safeway car park for the problems.

"It is an absolute disgrace," he said. "It is not as if Northallerton is on low ground. The fault is with the culvert which needs enlarging.

"We have been told flooding is once in 100 years, but that is not the case. The cost to the town is now enormous."

Coun Dobson said North Yorkshire County Council was looking into Mr Thorniley-Walker's ideas.

"As the responsible agent they will say what will happen and when," he said.

But he added that the town council was pressing for early action on the civil engineer's report.

* More flooding reports and pictures: page 5