THE Environment Agency is facing a £900,000 bill to stop a river embankment which supports the M65 in Pendle from washing away after a spate of flooding.

Major floods in June gouged out the banking of Pendle Water just upstream of Reedyford Bridge on the Barrowford/Nelson boundary, causing the ground to move. The banking on the other side of the river was also washed away. Several millions of pounds has been spent on major river improvements and flood allevation measures just downstream from the bridge in the Lomeshaye area in recent years. "The Environment Agency, alarmed by this (latest) event, is now very concerned about the risk of a future embankment collapse, which could result in increased flood risk for Barrowford and motorway problems, requiring major reinstatement works," said Pendle Council's engineering services manager Brian Holmes.

"Since the heavy flow in June the movement of the ground has slowed down to almost nothing but there's a danger if there's another high river flow that more damage could be done."

The agency built a scale model of the river to find out where erosion will hit hardest. It also sunk detectors into the embankment to detect any movement. The banking is owned by the council and supports the M65. The fears are that further erosion could cause a landslide affecting the motorway.

Barrowford councillor Alan Vickerman said: "I welcome any moves that will help prevent flooding in Barrowford. This area has a problem with flooding and obviously there is a concern about how the motorway will be affected.

"People's homes and property needs to be protected from flooding. During the last two heavy storms, including June, the flood prevention measures downstream proved very effective."

The agency wants to carry out major improvement work to the whole section of the river, costing around £900,000, which would make its banking more stable. Emergency works to sink heavy piles into both sides of the river is planned for early next year ahead of major works in spring 2002. The bill to restore and stabilise the motorway banking would cost £55,000. Lancashire County Council has offered £40,000, leaving Pendle to find £15,000.

A report to the resource committee, which holds the borough council's purse-strings says that while there is no cash allocated to meet the bill, a decision the council will find the money from somewhere is needed urgently.

"Unfortunately this council owns this problem embankment which is in danger of a future collapse," said Mr Holmes, who added that the council could not walk away from the problem.

The committee, which meets tomorrow, is asked to agree the cash come from next year's capital budget.