MAJOR improvement work is to begin next week to eradicate flooding problems in the Norbreck area.

The improvement package has been put together by North West Water and Blackpool Borough Council in a bid to end the drainage problems around Mossom Lane.

Residents were promised action would be taken to improve sewers in the area after some homes were flooded by an exceptional storm last September -- when the area received one fifth of its average monthly rainfall in 15 minutes.

Civil engineering company Bethell Utilities are to undertake the work which is expected to take 14 weeks to complete with minimal disruption.

Will Britain, principal engineer of technical services, said: "We will liaise closely with residents and aim to keep disruption to a minimum."

The improvement plan is to enlarge sewer sizes in key local parts of the Norbreck sewer system, add an underground tank to catch overflows from some sewers when it rains, reconfigure the sewer network to take more control over the route rainwater takes through the system and finally to separate highway drainage from sewage and create a surface water soakaway pond in an open area off Mossom Lane.

Leader of the council Coun George Bancroft said: "These schemes are the first which have been developed from the extensive joint working exercise undertaken by the council and North West Water."