A TOWN could face five times more flooding and a summer drought every three years by the end of the century.

Now Middlesbrough Council has launched a plan to tackle climate change, on which the public will be consulted.

Councillor Barry Coppinger, executive member for public protection, said the town faced 30 per cent more winter rainfall and winters without snow.

Governments around the world say a 60 per cent cut in greenhouse gases is needed. The UK Government target is 12.5 per cent by 2010.

For Middlesbrough, which creates 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, 12.5 per cent could be achieved by better home insulation, hydrogen fuel cells powering large buildings, 20 per cent of vehicles using clean fuels and more recycling.

The council said 60 per cent could only be achieved by solar panels in one in four homes, wind turbines in every school, recycling all waste, using public transport for 33 per cent of journeys, and heating public buildings using renewable fuels.