Reduced flood risk and new playground for village

A village that has experienced frequent flash flooding has had new infrastructure and a new school playground installed.

Mousehole is vulnerable to extreme flooding due to its steep valley location and the two watercourses which flow through the village to the harbour.

The Environment Agency (EA) has replaced the inadequately sized pipes with larger ones, which have additional storage capacity during heavy rainfall.

As the culvert runs under Mousehole Primary School's play area, the Department of Education and EA installed a new playground which includes a wooden ship and a cave.

Mousehole Primary School head teacher Sarah Trow said the children were "thrilled" with the new playground and villagers were relieved the risk of flooding had been reduced.

She said: "With the recent storms we've noticed the positive difference the work has had and as a school community we feel reassured knowing it will help protect us and the community in the future."

The EA noted the flooding risk could not be eliminated due to downstream restrictions but the new infrastructure would reduce the frequency of flooding.

The agency's area flood and coastal risk manager, Ben Johnstone, said: "The new culvert will provide vital additional capacity during heavy rainfall, helping to protect both the school and the village."

The agency said it was working with landowners and farmers to slow flood flows into the village and the next step would be to provide flood doors to residents whose properties were at risk.

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