WIND turbine technology could be used to solve the flooding problem affecting a village school.

The playing field at Bishop Middleham Primary School has been submerged for more than a year.

It is one of a number of sites in the village affected by flooding.

Durham County Council has carried out a survey to find out the cause of the problem, and a meeting has been held to discuss possible solutions.

The field is in one of the lowest parts of the village, so one option is to relocate it to higher ground.

Another suggestion is simply to drain the field, but it is feared that the problem would return when their was heavy rainfall. A third option could be to raise the level of the field by a few inches.

A spokesman for Durham County Council said: "We are also looking at the possibility of installing a wind turbine to pump the water out. The problem with the others is the cost, but there could be grants available for a wind turbine."

Another meeting is to be held to decide on the best course of action.

The spokesman dismissed suggestions that flooding in former mine workings could be a factor, and blamed it on the high water table due to record rainfall.

Brian Fleming, a former apprentice at Fishburn coke works, says the village has suffered flooding over many years. He also said he recalled being involved in installing a pumping station near agricultural land, which is now flooded, in the late 1950s.