A NEW pipeline has been created to help a North Yorkshire market town in its fight against flooding.

Built under the railway line in Norton, it will mean emergency pumps can be deployed more easily during flooding.

The pipeline, built by Yorkshire Water, has been welcomed by local councillors.

Currently, when pumps are deployed as part of Malton and Norton’s emergency flood plan, pumping has to stop when a train goes past - as the pipe from the pumps needs to be placed across the train track to get to the river.

The new pipeline goes under the track and allows the pump to continuously run and therefore be more effective, as it won’t have to intermittently stop.

It should make the pump easier to deploy, safer, more effective and help to reduce flood risk to homes and businesses.

Eve Pierrepont, flood risk engineer for Yorkshire Water, said: "We’re very pleased to be starting this vital piece of work to reduce the impact our emergency flood plan has on the local community.

Local councillor Di Keal, a long-standing flood campaigner, said it was " one more piece in the jigsaw of flood protection that we need in Norton, Malton and Old Malton.

"It will help residents and businesses in Norton cope better when the community is faced with flooding."