Farmers in Weardale have been instrumental to natural flood management project

Two Weardale farmers have been instrumental in their involvement in a natural flood management scheme.

They've been helping to build barriers, timber fencing and storage units that will hold back water during heavy rainfall, and reduce flood risk downstream.

The construction could reduce flood risk across communities including Lanehead, Wearhead, Westgate and Stanhope.

The £2.1million project is being paid for by the Environment Agency to bolster flood protection for communities in Upper Weardale.

The scheme aims at reducing flood risk using natural flood management techniques to communities that have historically flooded due to water running from the surrounding hills.

Further features will be built into the landscape next year as the project continues.