Essential storm drain work needed to complete the flood prevention scheme on Cockermouth Main Street will be done, the county council guaranteed this week.

The town's civic trust had written to the council last month about the unfinished work on High Sands Lane. It called for a formal update on progress to complete the project.

Dominic Donnini, corporate director of environment and community services, wrote: "Cumbria County Council is fully committed to completing this important scheme and to ensure the new drainage system for Cockermouth Main Street is completed as soon as reasonably possible."

The storm drain on High Sands Lane was originally part of the 2014 project to repair the Main Street infrastructure following the 2009 floods.

Phil Campbell, civic trust chairman, wrote to the council in June.

He said: “At the start of the project, the new storm drain was publicly hailed by the county council as being both necessary and an important element of the renewed infrastructure.

“A very significant amount of public money has already been spent installing a portion of the drains under the street itself, which will be wasted if the project is not completed.”

Mr Donnini said: "As you will be aware this project has been subject to a number of engineering challenges, none more so than those in High Sands Lane. At this moment in time we have a project team working through these issues and the required design changes."

He offered trust members the opportunity to meet with an officer involved in managing the project for a briefing on the current position.

Mr Campbell said: "It is quite positive in as far as it goes. We will be taking up their offer of a meeting with an officer to better understand their actual forward plan."