A COUNCILLOR is urging islanders to be more careful what they do with litter which has been blocking a vial drainage dyke on Canvey.

The Environment Agency has promised it will monitor the dyke, in May Avenue, 24 hours a day, using CCTV, to ensure water levels do not rise too high.

It already has one camera monitoring the area, but a second one is to be put up.

The agency has also fitted a grille to catch litter in the dyke, which, when it isn’t blocked, helps control water levels.

Canvey Independent Party Canvey South borough councillor Barry Campagna said: “I was walking through the area at the weekend and it was just full to the brim.

“The difference in water levels from one side of the grille to the other was quite large.

“The Environment Agency was quick to come out and deal with it when I called, but I think that’s a short-term measure really.

“The problem keeps coming back, particularly as the weather worsens.”

He has urged residents to do their bit in helping save the island from more flooding in the event of heavy rain, explaining: “It’s quite an open area, and I reckon some of the litter gets blown in the wind across the King George's playing field to the May Avenue dyke.

“There’s no fence to act as a barrier between the dyke and the field, so that’s another concern.

Obviously, it’s no secret we have a major issue with flooding, and we don’t want that to happen again.

“There are things we can all do to reduce that risk. ”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said its operations team had cleared the grille, aimed at keeping rubbish out of the Thames Estuary, yesterday morning after islanders complained at the weekend.

He added: “The grille is doing its job, in preventing debris reaching the pump sump.

“We are aware this happens at this time of year and we are going to be a installing second webcam focusing on this grille, which is monitored 24/7.”