Matlock: Huge crane helping to rebuild flood defences

A huge crane has been constructed in a Derbyshire town as part of an ongoing project to rebuild its flood defences.

Homes and businesses in Matlock were flooded in February when the previous flood defence wall collapsed.

The Environment Agency said the giant piece of machinery - which arrived in the town on Tuesday - was one of the biggest mobile cranes in the UK.

The crane is helping engineers complete their work at hard-to-reach parts of the river.

The 800-tonne piece of machinery has been built near the railway station on the A6 Derwent Way.

The road has been closed between Snitterton Road and the bus station, following the reopening of Matlock Bridge, which had been closed since the middle of June.

The Environment Agency said the large crane was needed because there was no landward access to the river to carry out the repairs.

It will lift materials and machinery across the river to where the replacement river wall and flood wall is being constructed.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "It will be in place until at least the end of the year, and will then either remain in situ to enable the cladding of the sheet piles to take place or return in the spring when the weather is more conducive to the works being carried out."

An event is being held in Matlock on 10 August where there will be a competition to name the crane.

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