SCHOOL children and the Mayor of Warrington cllr Ted Finnegan were on hand to unveil a plaque marking the completion of the second phase of construction on one of the UK’s biggest flood defence schemes.

Phase two of the flood defence works extend from Riverside Retail Park to Howley Lane while the phase one flood walls and embankments along Knutsford Road have already proved their worth by protecting 300 homes and businesses during one of the biggest tidal surges on the River Mersey since 1990 in December 2013.

The £23 million scheme has been made possible thanks to a partnership between the Environment Agency and Warrington Borough Council, who are jointly funding the new flood defences.

The third phase of construction has started at Kingsway North and Cinnamon Brow with completion scheduled for autumn 2016.

The Mayor of Warrington, who was joined by children from St Elphins Primary School and youngsters who had designed the motif on the flood defences, said the work would provide 'peace of mind' to hundreds of families and businesses.

Cllr Tony Higgins added he was very impressed by the way work had progressed and the partnership between the Environment Agency and Warrington Borough Council had been 'exemplary'.