A SOLUTION may be in sight for residents who are hit by floods in the New Forest.

For two years they have been battling for a flood drainage ditch to be dug at Ibsley despite objections from nature conservation bodies.

Home owners who have been increasingly inundated by floods in recent winters wanted to widen the existing narrow culvert draining surface water from Mockbeggar Lane into a flooded gravel pit just a few yards from the road.

Resident Malcolm Lambert, who has his own building firm, even offered to do the work himself with the consent of Bournemouth and West Hants Water Company.

But the area is part of the environmentally sensitive Avon Valley enjoying Site of Special Scientific Interest and other protective designations requiring the sanction of English Nature before the drainage work can go ahead.

And English Nature has vetoed the scheme until its concerns over spoil disposal and protection of rare plants including the lesser fleabane have been resolved.

"It is a saga that has been going on for two years now," said Ibsley Post Office and Stores boss Bob Light.

He said water running off the adjoining forest was funnelled into a ditch which flowed under Mockbeggar Lane where the narrow culvert caused backing up leading to flooding.

"It seems they are more concerned with the flora and fauna than the people who live here," said Mr Light.

Another resident said: "We have had gravel extraction going on in the area for 50 years, but they will not help us with our flooding."

Now, in a bid to break the deadlock so that the work can be carried out before the onset of another winter, the water company has offered to mediate between the parties.

Water company technical director Roger Harrington said: "We are happy with the scheme to make a bigger ditch and will take it on board to help progress it for them with English Nature."