CONCERNS have been raised over the risk of flooding in a village, with residents worried that thousands of pounds of damage could be done to homes in the area.

Brompton Beck, which runs through Brompton, near Northallerton, has been blocked by trees and other debris on the outskirts of the village.

It is feared that, if the wet weather continues, the blockage could result in excess water spilling over into the village, causing flooding.

Resident Dave Waring is concerned for people living in Fullicar Lane and the surrounding areas.

He has called for action to be taken to clear the blockage, before it is too late.

Mr Waring said: "The last major problems we had were in 2005.

"If I lived in the village centre, I would be worried, because it could come back if nothing is done to help the beck flow more smoothly.

"It would be soul-destroying for those affected, were it to happen again."

Mr Waring estimated that up to 100 houses could be affected if the beck was to flood again.

He said: "When it does flood, it seems to come really quickly.

With the weather we have had recently, anything could happen."

Mr Waring said he noticed the blockage in the beck while walking his dog in Walkers Field, in the village.

He said: "If it is left as it is, it will only get worse. Something needs to be done about it."

Brompton has been flooded a number of times. In 2000, it suffered badly when widespread flooding hit the Northallerton area. About 90 homes in Brompton were affected, and the cost of the damage was estimated at more than £2m.

In the wake of the floods, a defence project covering Brompton, Romanby and Northallerton was drawn up. It was announced last year that funding for the scheme would not be available until 2010- 11 at the earliest.

The Environment Agency, which is responsible for the watercourses involved in the project, said no exact date could be given for the work. The project was to include building embankments to hold back floodwaters in the area, along with a flood storage tank on the outskirts of Northallerton.

The agency has pledged to clear the latest blockage.

Spokesman Rob Walsh said the problem had not been brought to the agency's attention.

He said: "Now we have been notified, we will be getting someone out to Brompton Beck, and aim to deal with this as soon as possible.

"If any residents in the area spot similar problems that could cause flooding, they can call the Environment Agency's incident hotline on 0800-807060."