FLOOD victims in Pickering have appealed to Floods Minister Elliot Morley to do everything in his power to ensure new defences are built.

The newly-formed Pickering Flood Defence Group has written to the Minister to ask him to find the resources to fund a scheme, which was recently shelved because of concerns over rising costs.

The letter follows the recent bombshell decision by his department to remove the town's status as a "special case", which threatens to leave Pickering unprotected for the foreseeable future.

The decision was made in spite of more than 1,000 people signing an Evening Press petition calling for its special case status to be extended for another two years.

The group says that if this decision stands, the community will be left permanently at risk from a repeat of the flooding experienced in 1999, 2000 and 2002.

The group tells the Minister that on a visit to the completed defences at Malton and Norton in April last year, he had said in a media interview that the rise in costs on schemes like the Malton project was not uncommon, adding: "If money is needed then we will go and find increases in grants."

It argues that there are several sound reasons why flood defence proposals should not be abandoned.

"Apart from the potentially devastating impact on the residents, businesses and a thriving tourist economy in the town is threatened by flooding which results in the diversion of traffic when the A170 becomes impassable," it said.

"Over the last three years the Environment Agency has invested heavily in the scheme - more than £700,000 - in design, consultation and staff time. Writing off the work done so far would be a gross waste of limited resources."

It says it has been argued that "only" 52 residential properties and 13 businesses will be protected, but points out that this is more than the number protected at Stamford Bridge under defences currently under construction.

It raises concerns about the Beck Isle Museum, which it says is unable to obtain insurance due to repeated floods.

"Most importantly, there are the residents to consider, who have been expecting the agency to defend their community from future floods. They include elderly people who suffer greatly both personally and in their health each time they are flooded."

Updated: 11:18 Friday, February 27, 2004