NOVEMBER could see contractors start work on the long-awaited Stock Beck flood storage reservoir.

The £1 million scheme is designed to prevent a repeat of the floods which brought misery to householders in parts of Lowther Park, Silverdale Drive and Calder Drive in Kendal, back in January 1999.

South Lakeland District Council's environmental protection manager Mark Richardson said council officers were due to meet potential contractors on Monday.

"Following that we will decide who we are going to invite to tender for the work, with the hope that the work will be done between November and February," he told the Gazette.

Mr Richardson said the first stage of the project was expected to involve driving a 100-metre-long tunnel from the head of Rusland Park into the flood field, known as Potter Tarn Field.

A pipe would be laid in the tunnel, which would be linked up to improved pipes to be laid at Silverdale Drive.

This week, Kendal town councillors heard the tunnel would pass beneath the corner of one of their allotments at Sedbergh Road.

"I am informed by district council officers that the tunnel is one-and-a-half metres below the allotment level, and therefore should not interfere with the carrots," reported town clerk Hugh McClorry.

Councillors raised no objections to the tunnel being built.

Ward member Coun Simon Butterfield praised the hard work which he hoped was now bringing the flood relief scheme to fruition.

"The eventual development of this flood scheme is going to benefit the residents of Lowther Park, and hopefully safe- guard their homes from any further flooding in future years," he said.