FOLLOWING last year's floods in East Cleveland, a high-tech weather warning system using e-mails and telephones is being piloted in the area.

The Meterological Office, Environment Agency and Redcar and Cleveland Council are handling the £3.9m scheme, which is one of a number of government-backed weather warning systems being set up across the country.

The aim is to provide advanced public warning and information systems for very bad weather, including floods, using e-mail, the internet, text messages, digital TV, fax and telephones.

Council leader Coun David Walsh said: "I'm delighted that this project has got the go-ahead from the Government. We all know that weather patterns are changing dramatically and there was clear evidence of this during last year's flash floods.

"After the first flood, we were told it was a once-in-a-century storm. However, we then had an identical storm a few months later.

"This initiative will be a lot of comfort to the communities that were badly affected last year, and to farmers, fisherman and builders, who have a vital need to know what the weather has in store."

East Cleveland MP Dr Ashok Kumar also welcomed the scheme, saying: "Last year's floods were traumatic, particularly in Skinningrove and Loftus. This system for towns and villages is a big step forward. It shows how different agencies can work together for the benefit of the community. Hopefully, people can now sleep safer in their beds, knowing there will be an early warning about any future flood risks."

One of the Environment Agency's key targets is to deliver effective flood warnings to 80pc of those at risk by 2010. It also aims to reduce cost of flooding by £3b over ten years.

The Government is providing £2.7m from its Invest to Save budget for the East Cleveland scheme, while the remainder will come from the Met Office and Environment Agency.

Jim Haywood, the head of the agency's National Flood Warning Centre, said people could be alerted whether they were at home, at work or on the move.

The high-tech scheme was also welcomed by the Met Office's Stewart Wass, who highlighted its accuracy in targeting specific areas, and Floods Minister, Elliot Morley MP