A Papcastle farmer whose land has been devastated again in the floods is calling for the creation of a local river authority.

Robert Jackson had only recently finished repairing his land following the 2009 floods, when thousands of tons of debris and gravel was deposited on it again last month. 

Mr Jackson has lived at Croft House Farm all his life, he has beef and sheep and grows barley.

He said: "I have lost half my barley for next year. It has taken five years to repair the damage that occurred in 2009 only to have it eroded away again."

He estimates 26,000 tons of gravel and debris, including silage bails and fencing, has been deposited on his land which borders the River Derwent.

He is frustrated by the lack of support for farmers and is calling for rivers to be managed locally.

"The Government has neglected the River Derwent for 40 years and they have to address that.

"Our ancestors knew what to do, they did not have these issues," Mr Jackson said. 

"Local knowledge is so important. The Government must take on board the function of rivers and what applies to one river does not apply to another. 

"It's no good having someone in London behind a computer creating models. 

"We need a local river authority, financed by the state, which anyone with a problem can report to.

"The authority can then assess the problem and act on it.

"We used to have a river authority of five people working full-time and dealing with local issues."

It cost £35,000 to clear up following the 2009 floods, although some contractors had given him quotes of more than £80,000. 

Affected farms have been offered £20,000 each from Natural England, Mr Jackson said.

He added: "But we have to have three quotes from three different contractors.

"How do you instruct a contractor to produce a quote for the removal of more than 20,000 tons of gravel to put where?

"Do we sell it, crush it, put it back in the river so it can wash further down next time it floods, blocking the river further? No one can answer these questions and until then we can't move on.

"Once again, agriculture is being forgotten."

He has approached Workington MP Sue Hayman who is looking into the situation.

Mr Jackson says the course of the river in flood was altered by the creation of the Papcastle bypass in 1989. A section of wall which was put in many years earlier and the water never exceeded was also removed.

He added: "It works all right in normal conditions but not when there is a torrent of water. They have created a monster which shears the land out."