Flood could follow Army departure

The floods would affect farmland rather than Ballykelly village

The Army's departure from a County Londonderry village could lead to widespread flooding in the area, it has been claimed.

The Ulster Farmers' Union have said that a pumping station at Shackleton barracks in Ballykelly keeps the nearby land dry.

If it is not maintained when they leave, Lough Foyle will flood surrounding farmland at sea level.

The Army is due to leave Shackleton barracks on 30 June.

The farmers are worried that land used for cereal and dairy farming could disappear under water if the pumping station stopped working.

John McCollum, from the north west group of the UFU, said the prospect of flooding was a very real problem.

"This is very flat land, and if water is blocked at all it doesn't run - it has to be maintained almost daily," he said.

"The majority of the land is owned by the Ministry of Defence, over 700 acres of land, which is all pumped out.

"There is open drainage and the pumping station, and somebody will have to give an undertaking that they will keep up the pumping station.

"Who can we find to undertake these pumps and the open drainage?"