NORTH Tawton's flood alleviation defences have proven their effectiveness following the wettest year on record for England.

The town's flood defence scheme was completed in 2003, with the work funded by West Devon Borough Council, DEFRA and the Department of the Environment.

The town council lobbied West Devon following the extreme flooding experienced in North Tawton in 2000 and 2001.

The past 12 months has seen those defences tested as the Met Office announced that 2012 was the wettest year on record for England, and the second wettest year on record for the UK as a whole.

The total rainfall for the UK during 2012 was 1,330.7 millimetres, or 523.9 inches. That was just 6.6 milimetres short of the record set in 2000.

The works around the river and extra drainage work cost £1.7 million, the bulk of which came from the Department of the Environment.

During the works, South West Water discovered sewage had been entering the stream, and a small pumping station was installed in the area at the bottom of Fore Street hill.

The works are now the responsibility of the Environment Agency, but during the recent spell of bad weather, the town council took it upon themselves to ensure the stream and grids in the Fore Street area were kept clear.

Among those to show their appreciation for the scheme is North Tawton resident Margaret Pridham, who said she was very grateful that the scheme went ahead and has worked so well.

While the defences in North Tawton have worked well, the Environment Agency has warned people to keep alert to the continued risk of flooding.

Environment Agency flood risk manager Pete Fox said: 'The recent rain has left river and groundwater levels high and people should continue to keep up to date with the latest flooding updates on our website and via Twitter and Facebook pages.

'Over 21,000 properties have been protected from flooding this Christmas and our teams are continuing to work around the clock with local emergency services to keep communities safe.

'People should sign up for free flood warnings, and keep up to date with the latest situation on our website.'