ENGINEERS are hoping to overcome technical problems to enable a £130,000 flood defence scheme for Beales Corner in Bewdley to go-ahead.

The Environment Agency hopes to have a 300m length of "pallet" style temporary barriers ready to protect 35 to 40 properties from the flooding River Severn by this winter.

But first a number of technical difficulties have to be resolved and Environment Agency spokeswoman Lyn Fraley said that, while they were committed to the scheme, she did not wish to raise hopes too far.

There is a large tunnel under Beales Corner containing drains and a way of being able to pump out sufficient water from them has to be established. The agency is also working with Severn Trent to find a way of sealing the sewer system to prevent that flooding.

The temporary barriers, which sit on top of the ground, proved very successful when trialled in Ironbridge and Worcester last year.

Meanwhile, the Severnside South flood barriers are due to be operational by the end of November, although it will be several weeks after that before engineers finally clear the site.