A £26million Environment Agency-led scheme to improve flood banks at Whittlesey Washes - to strengthen a 10-mile stretch of the South Bank - is right on track.

The Green Wheel cycle path between Stanground and Whittlesey, where a 249m-long concrete wall has been built to improve flood defences, has re-opened three months ahead of schedule.

Whittlesey Washes – also known as the Nene Washes – stores water from the River Nene when it is ‘tide-locked’.

Environment Agency catchment engineer Guy Szomi said: “We’re very pleased to be making such good progress on improving flood defences at Whittlesey Washes.

“Through our teams’ hard work, we’re completing some of this ahead of schedule, meaning cyclists and walkers can get back to enjoying their local area.

“The Whittlesey Washes project will improve the condition of the South Barrier Bank so it can continue to protect hundreds of homes, roads, and railways in and around Peterborough, as well as 8,000 hectares of farmland to the southeast of the city.”

The remaining phase of the scheme sees bank work being carried out between Poplar House Farm and Bassenhally.

This is expected to be completed in November, but a footpath through the area will remain diverted until next summer to allow grass – which adds to the stability of the bank by preventing erosion – to grow.

For updates on the project, sign up to receive a newsletter by e-mailing whittleseywashesprojectEA@gmail.com.