John Price, the Kingsland farmer who helped flooded owners in his village, has been jailed when a rapist and burglars are allowed to go free.

In the past the river authority used to dredge the rivers roughly every five years to prevent flooding.

In Eardisland a very similar problem occurred about seven years ago on the Arrow, when one of the bridge arches was blocked by fallen trees with silt, debris and stones building up behind. The Environment Agency did not, would not, and could not clear the rubbish despite parish council requests.

Local farmers offered to do the work for free in the summer when water levels were low but ‘Oh, no!’ The locals knew the area, rivers and land, and had the machinery and knowhow but the Environment Agency refused.

The said they would do it but if the village proceeded they had to pay £1,200 for a licence (that could take a few months) then when the soil was put on the side, to raise the banks and plant grass seed.

OTHER NEWS:

The soil had to be left on the sides for five days to let the little creatures run back into the river, OK we agreed to that, but again ‘Oh, no’ the soil had to be removed and paid to be taken away!

Nothing was done and the next winter virtually every house in the village flooded!

Most of the Environment Agency staff do not live in these rural areas, are not country-born people who know the land, how nature regenerates and everything grows as nature repairs itself, but homes, livelihoods and safety are not important.

The photographs shown in the press of Kingsland land are still the bare brown land done one autumn three years ago. Why not show present-day pictures with green grass, shrubs, trees and flowers growing again?

Hopefully, John Price will be released immediately and allowed back to his family home and farm to care and feed the nation.

ZIGI DAVENPORT

Eardisland

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