Government told it may have to invest in mental health care following floods

“Farmers are finding the situation very stressful and there may need to be investment in mental health care.”

It came as members of Went Valley district Young Farmers’ Club cancelled their winter rally to shift more than 60 tonnes of rubbish to help the flood-stricken residents of Fishlake, South Yorkshire.

‘Infuriating’

The Doncaster village has been submerged in water for two weeks and 35 members from the clubs in Doncaster, Pontefract and Selby filled multiple 14-tonne skips and 15-tonne lorries.

Went Valley chairman Lewis Marshall, who encouraged the clean-up, reiterated the need to keep the pressure on the EA.

He said: “As farmers, we notice the EA failing to perform basic watercourse maintenance. Or if work is done, it follows European directives which have shifted away from dredging and towards being more bothered about ecological status.

“Even some of our youngest members could talk knowledgeably about the importance of keeping ditches clear and dredging rivers.

“It is infuriating that nobody listens to all the years of experience farmers have.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We have a wide range of defences along the River Don that more effectively reduce flood risk to communities, but dredging would not have prevented the recent flooding there.

“While the Water Framework Directive requires us to consider the impact of dredging on the ecological health of rivers, it does not prevent us from carrying out dredging where it is needed to protect people and property.”