Lutton resident 'reinvents' flooded road as 'nature reserve'

A villager became so frustrated at flooding along a road outside his house that he decided to ‘reinvent’ the spot as a nature reserve.

Lutton resident John Tolliday sent a cheeky snap - where a photo of the standing water along Puddingpoke Lane featured mocked-up images of wildlife - to this paper to highlight the issue he and fellow residents face.

He also considered inviting highways bosses down to a joke official opening.

“I wanted to highlight what was happening in a light hearted way,” Mr Tolliday explained.

The lane - which connects Lowgate with Colley’s Gate and Marriott’s Gate - is regularly used by people on foot who often find themselves having to navigate standing water.

“It’s unsafe for the people who have to walk their children to school, they have to walk on the edge,” Mr Tolliday added.

“It’s dog walking track and people walk around the village.

“It’s also one of the main roads schoolchildren use and the school bus goes by there every morning as well.

“It’s phenomenal the amount of Amazon and Tesco and Sainsbury’s deliveries that come down here as well.”

An added frustration for Mr Tolliday is vehicles driving through the puddle and splashing water into his garden, which he spent hundreds of pounds on laying anew lawn.

Lincolnshire Country Council attempted to stop the problem in the summer, Mr Tolliday continued, by digging a grip in the road to drain away the excess water.

However, the Puddingpoke Lane resident says the problem continued with the work carried out too far up the road.

A Lincolnshire County Council spokesman said: “Previous works have been undertaken to install a drainage grip to help remove surface water.

“LCC will raise a works order to install additional drainage grips on Puddingpoke Lane, to help move surface water from the carriageway into the verge and drains.

“The Highways Officer will then monitor the location where any further action can be considered if required.”