Two councils have helped develop an ‘innovative’ scheme to reduce flood water in Basingstoke.

The pumping trial, which started yesterday, has been developed by Hampshire CC and Basingstoke and Deane BC, along with the Environment Agency and fire service.

Ground water levels are so high in Buckskin that more than 80 houses have had to be evacuated.

Experts have predicted that doing nothing could mean that water levels might not go down until around April.

Basingstoke and Deane BC chief executive Tony Curtis said: ‘We hope that the trial will be successful so that we can look at how it could be used to help give the residents more hope of the water levels going down in the near future.’

Borough council leader Cllr Clive Sanders added: ‘This marks an important next step in trying to return Buckskin to normal so that the residents can begin to rebuild their lives after what is proving to be one of the most persistent and harrowing situations that a community could have to face.’