Repair work on a flood defence embankment in Doncaster has been completed.

The embankment, which lies between the River Don and the South Yorkshire Navigation canal at Mile Thorn in the Wheatley Park area of Doncaster, got damaged before and during last winter's flood conditions.

The £2 million works at Wheatley Park are part of an overall £32 million package of repair works across Yorkshire.

A large 42 tonne excavator was transported to site using a pontoon as part of the work. Large barges were used to transport materials in to repair the bank.


Over 580 rock bags weighing over 1,000 tonnes were placed in engineered bays, and have been used to make the foreshore much more resistant to erosion.

Access to the site was restricted, so the Environment Agency has worked closely with Doncaster Council to set up a site compound near the site, and the Canal and River Trust enabled teams to have access from the canal so that equipment could get to site safely.

Tony Hartley, Project Manager at the Environment Agency said: "This work was a significant repair job in difficult conditions, which has now strengthened this flood defence bank and reduced the risk of flooding to the local area.

"We are prepared to take action this winter wherever it is needed. Throughout the year we have continued to build and repair flood defences across Yorkshire, prioritising work to ensure we’re ready for winter."

The repair works were carried out by the Environment Agency’s framework contractor BAM Nuttall and their specialist contractor Waitings, and ARUP.