OTLEY'S flood defences are being praised for saving the town from the devastation seen in 2015 as storms battered the country at the weekend.

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel hailed the success of the Otley Flood Alleviation Scheme, saying he had ‘no doubt that it had saved the town from the kind of terrible disruption to property experienced in 2015.

The MP, who campaigned for the introduction of the scheme, ensured its delivery by this winter after a series of delays. He has since become a Shadow Minister in Kier Starmer’s team, with responsibility for Flooding.

He said “The rain over the weekend has caused serious flooding problems across the country and we have seen rivers break their banks, including here on the Wharfe.

"Despite the Wharfe overtopping into gardens and Wharfemeadows Park, local homes, the main road over the bridge and Farnley Lane junction all avoided flooding.

"This demonstrates that this £4 million scheme jointly funded by Leeds city council and other partners, has done its job and we would like to thank the teams at Leeds City Council and at the Environment Agency for their timely delivery of the flood defences. It is certain that had it not been in place, the main road over the bridge and Farnley Lane would have been closed by floodwater, and we might well have seen homes inundated as they were six years ago.

“Whilst we are relieved here in Otley, my heart goes out to all the places who haven’t been able to secure a scheme. Only last year, a report from the Public Accounts Committee concluded that the Government is not doing nearly enough to protect homes in the UK from floods or stepping in to prevent new homes from being built on flood plains.

"Since the Conservatives came to power, flood response services have been slashed by more than a fifth. We also must see better upland management which is much cheaper than hard flood defences, particularly on upper catchments including the Wharfe. I recently visited the work ongoing at Harewood downstream of Otley, but it was clear that much more is needed.”

Steve Clapcote Labour Party candidate for Otley and Yeadon said: 'The flood bank in Otley is working, but the recent flooding downstream in Tadcaster demonstrates the need for more and more joined up action on flood alleviation right along the River Wharfe.'

As the whole area was battered by severe weather on Sunday afternoon Otley and Yeadon councillor Colin Campbell said the town’s flood relief scheme seemed to be doing what it was designed to do, holding back the water above the bridge and protecting Farnley Lane/Bridge Avenue.

He said there was an issue near the Wharfemeadows Park Cafe where Holbeck goes under the road. The culvert was blocked so water was running onto the road. There was also an incident on Farnley Lane at the Athelstan Lane junction where the shear volume of water overwhelmed the street gullies. Ilkley Road was also blocked at at Mickling Beck.

Cllr Campbell said: “The weather over the last couple of weeks has been exceptional culminating in heavy rain and wind over the weekend. Fortunately the new Otley flood defences seem to have held though there were a number of other issues locally where the volume of water overwhelmed so of the street gullies.

“On behalf of myself and residents I would like to thank the teams from Leeds City Council who turned out in atrocious weather to try and keep everyone safe.”