SHADOW floods minister Ann McIntosh made a fact-finding visit to Pickering on Saturday and backed the Gazette & Herald's campaign for the £6.5 million flood defence scheme for the town to be given priority by the Environment Agency.

In addition, Miss McIntosh, MP for the Vale of York, also called for one agency to be in charge of flood defence work. "At present several Government departments are involved - Defra, the Cabinet Office, Department of Communities and Local Government, as well as the Environment Agency, " she said.

She said that in her new role which she had been given by Tory leader David Cameron, she aimed to take up the whole issue of flood defence schemes with the environment secretary, Hilary Benn and the floods recovery minister, John Healey. "This is not a partisan issue - there is cross-party support for action to be taken in the places which were so hard hit by the recent floods such as Doncaster, Hull, Sheffield, Thirsk and Pickering."

Various schemes should be explored to combat flooding in the short-term, including the deliberate flooding of fields for which farmers would be compensated. She said she was disappointed that Pickering had not been included in the list of places which are to benefit from the Government's £8 million hand-out to help flood-hit families and businesses get back on their feet.

But, added Ms McIntosh, it was vital that every local authority had a flood action plan to enable information to be available quickly on such issues as availability of sandbags and alerting people when floods are imminent. "A number of people have told me in Pickering that there was no warning given."

Both Pickering and Thirsk, part of her present constituency prior to the new Thirsk and Malton division coming into effect at the next general election, need flood defence schemes as a matter of urgency, said Miss McIntosh.

She said that she and other MPs whose constituencies were hit by floods were hoping to get another parliamentary debate on the issue when Thirsk and Pickering's plight would be highlighted.

"My aim is to see where defence schemes can make a difference such as Pickering and I am disappointed that the town is not likely to receive any of the money which the government has just made available for flood recovery work."

During her visit Miss McIntosh visited several areas of Pickering which were hard hit by the floods including the Beck Isle Museum, and its neighbours households, Park Street, Hungate, the Market Place and the Fortune Inn, the Chinese restaurant which was one of the worst hit businesses.

Richard and Jennifer Mo, who have run the popular eating house for 16 years, told Miss McIntosh that they had received little help and were critical of the delay in receiving sandbags.

Mrs Mo said it was hoped to have the takeaway open in about two weeks, but the restaurant would not be operating for another six to eight weeks.

Mr Mo added: "All our equipment has gone and we are still drying out the building. It was a frightening experience because the flood water reached four feet and there was no warning given. "We were frightened because of the pressure of the water which was so great that we couldn't open the doors."

The restaurant's 10 full and part-time staff had been laid off and he feared it could be the end of September before the Fortune Inn is open again. "Of course we are going to miss all the holiday business but we are hoping the insurance company will compensate, " said Mrs Mo.

Mr Mo added: "We can't undone what has happened but the thing is now to make sure it doesn't happen again and we are hoping Miss McIntosh's visit will result in new pressure being put on the Government."

Gordon Clitheroe, curator of the Beck Isle Museum, said: "It is good that the MP has been able to see at first hand what happened and to talk to those who were affected.

Hopefully there will now be a re-think on the flood defence scheme for Pickering - it is imperative that it goes ahead now because of Pickering's history of flooding."