Half of North Tyneside's major flood defences are substandard

Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside. (Image: PA)

North Tyneside has the highest proportion of substandard flood defences in England, according to numbers obtained by the BBC .

Figures from the BBC’s data unit have revealed that out of North Tyneside ’s 15 flood defences, seven “high consequence” defences have been ranked as “below required conditions”. High consequence means the defences in place are protecting multiple homes and/or businesses.

Examples of substandard conditions include; cracks and fractures, erosion, blocked or broken drainage systems, and water seepage or leakage.

The full breakdown for North Tyneside’s defences is as follows:

North Tyneside ranks first in the top twenty council areas with the highest proportion of all defences falling below standard, with Brent