There have been calls for urgent action to sort out an overgrown pond said to look like something from the time of the dinosaurs. 

Four Labour councillors representing Toftwood and Withburga wards on Breckland Council have spoken out over the state of the pond on the edge of Dereham by the A47 slip road, and claim a failure to clean up the mess may be contributing to flooding in the town. 

Sarah Taylor, Kendra Cogman, Harry Clarke and Ray O`Callaghan say the issue is a growing concern, having first raised the issue in 2020. 

Dereham Times: Labour Breckland councillors Sarah Taylor, and Harry Clarke at the pond land on the edge of Dereham, found near the A47 slip roadLabour Breckland councillors Sarah Taylor, and Harry Clarke at the pond land on the edge of Dereham, found near the A47 slip road (Image: Harry Clarke)

Mr Clarke said: “This is now in a far worse state than my last visit, it looks like a prehistoric scene - and unsafe and ineffective for its purpose."

Ms Taylor said: "What is now almost entirely silted up is actually a critical piece of infrastructure for Dereham and is essential to stopping flash flooding in Toftwood.

“There are now trees growing in this pond making it useless, and in May, people in Toftwood suffered again because of flooding."

The councillors are now calling on Norfolk County Council and National Highways to address the problem as soon as possible.

A spokesperson for National Highways said: "Partnership work is ongoing with Anglian Water and Norfolk County Council to redevelop the current attenuation pond alongside the development of a second pond that will be built by Anglian Water nearby.

"This flood alleviation work was initially scheduled to take place last year but the planning was delayed by the Covid pandemic."

Dereham Times: The pond land on the edge of Dereham, found near the A47 slip roadThe pond land on the edge of Dereham, found near the A47 slip road (Image: Harry Clarke)

An Anglian Water spokesperson added:  “We are working in partnership with Norfolk County Council and National Highways towards a flood alleviation scheme in Dereham.

"This project was originally planned for delivery in 2022 but Covid  - around the planning time in the years preceding 2022 - meant this had to be delayed.

"As part of this project, the existing attenuation pond, north of the A47, will be refurbished by Norfolk County Council and National Highways, and a brand new attenuation pond, south of the A47, will be built by Anglian Water.”

Dereham Times: The pond land on the edge of Dereham, found near the A47 slip roadThe pond land on the edge of Dereham, found near the A47 slip road (Image: Harry Clarke)