A £2 million flood alleviation scheme is likely to give full protection to less than half the homes that have been flooded previously.

Cumbria County Council's capital programmes manager James.Daplyn told Maryport councillors on Monday night that the scheme would give protection to around 50 of the 134 houses flooded by Storm Desmond in Flimby in 2015. But he added that the scheme should also give partial coverage, at least, to other properties in the town.

As well as properties in the village, Storm Desmond, which coincided with a high tide cut rail and road links through Flimby.

The original budget for the alleviation project was £1.8 million. However, because of the "complex" issues in the town, the county council added another £500,000.

The plan, in its simplest, will see the three middle becks in the town diverted to the two outer ones where there are no houses.

The water will be held until it can drain away slowly and safely.

Mr Daplyn said it was impossible to design a flood protection scheme that was fool proof because it was difficult to predict future flooding patters. But he said this would offer the widest protection possible.

Joy Chivers, secretary of the Flimby Flood Resilience committee could have had more input and put more pressure on the results and running if they had more representation from the village.

"Sometimes we were fighting losing battles. I feel we could have had more impact if we had had more support."

She warned that the flooding would not end now and encouraged villagers to support the local committee.

She said the committee had seen the final scheme in and were reasonably happy with it.

"We can't control God or Mother Nature so you do not know what will happen in the future and we appreciate that you will never protect everybody.

"I think diverting the middle becks into the outer ones will help."

She said the flood committee recognised the complexity of the Flimby situation.

"Carlisle, Keswick, Appleby and Kendal have rivers running through them which makes flood protection a little easier. We have five becks in Flimby and the sea on top of that.

If all goes to plan flood works should be ended by October, \Me Danlyn said.