ENGINEERS have put the final touches to Hereford's £5.5 million flood defence scheme.

Work on the programme to protect 196 properties started earlier last month even though questions marks remained over the Hinton Road section of the scheme.

Other problem areas related to the route of the wall near the Watershed and possible ways of protecting a copper beech tree next to the riverside arts centre.

The Hereford Campaign for Better Flood Defences put forward alternative suggestions, but EA engineers have now decided - after an extensive consultation period - that their original proposals are the best.

Graham Hillier, the EA manager for Hereford, said the much-talked about wall that would run along the southern boundary of the King George V Playing Fields would be almost half the height of the one suggested by the campaign group.

He said the EA's chosen route also protected potential sports pitches and will cost £150,000 less than the proposed alternative.

Mr Hillier said the tree near the Watershed would not be saved as it could not be guaranteed that the copper beech would survive any alternative works.

However, he did say it was possible to look at one of the campaigners' recommendations, but warned that moving the Memorial Gates to the vehicle access point on Hinton Road would need to be approved by the local planning authority.

The city's flood defence scheme is expected to be finished by the end of the year when large parts of south Hereford will be protected from the water that has caused six notable floods in the past eight years.

Mr Hillier thanked the people of Hereford for their involvement during the consultation period, adding that he was delighted with the end product.

"As the scheme is now under way, this is a timely moment to express our appreciation to everyone who has contributed their ideas and opinions to the scheme, both recently and over the many years it's been in development," he explained.

"We've not been able to incorporate every suggestion, but we have considered everything very carefully and included as many ideas as were practical and affordable.

"We have made this design as good as we can, and are really pleased that we've finally been able to start work on the ground."