Villagers have backed a proposed £1m flood defence scheme for Stamford Bridge - and urged engineers to get on with it.

But some residents have spoken of their concerns about the visual impact of the proposed flood walls, suggested the defences might not be high enough and claimed that the river should be extensively dredged instead.

About 150 people from Stamford Bridge and nearby villages attended a public exhibition outlining the Environment Agency proposals in the village hall last night.

An agency leaflet said two alternative solutions to the village's regular flooding problems - increasing the size of the channel and using flood storage on the Derwent washlands - had been investigated and found not to be viable.

It said the flood walls and embankments being proposed would vary in height between one and 1.8 metres and protect most of the village, including the A166, against a one in 100-year flooding event. The walls would be designed to fit into the character of the conservation area around the Square and Corn Mill.

Parish council chairwoman Hilary Saynor said people generally wanted the scheme to go ahead, but with some reservations about the visual aspects and some other issues.

Most residents spoken to by the Evening Press said they liked the scheme and wanted it to go ahead as quickly as possible. People from villages outside Stamford Bridge spoke of the knock-on impact of closure of the A166, with greatly increased traffic using other back roads through their villages to get to the A1079.

Henry Smith said he liked the scheme, although he felt the village caravan site could have been protected as well, while Gordon Broadley was one of several residents who said they wished Buttercrambe Road could have been protected as well as the A166.

Dorothy McDonagh said: "It definitely wants doing," and Valerie Corder said: "I feel quite happy with what I have seen, and think we need it as fast as possible."

But Malcolm Baron said: "I would say the present proposals are a waste of money. I just cannot see them working." He suggested there should be extra dredging.

Updated: 12:08 Friday, April 20, 2001