A �4.7m flood alleviation scheme in Great Yarmouth is just weeks away from being completed. On Saturday a hi-tech tunnelling machine reached its final destination at Apollo Walk after travelling 250 metres underground Northgate Street to create a new sewer.

A �4.7m flood alleviation scheme in Great Yarmouth is just weeks away from being completed.

On Saturday a hi-tech tunnelling machine reached its final destination at Apollo Walk after travelling 250 metres underground Northgate Street to create a new sewer.

The machine, similar to the gear used to bore the Channel Tunnel, was lifted out of the ground by crane early on Tuesday, marking a step in the Anglian Water project, prompted by the floods of September 2006.

After being lowered four metres into the ground in early February close to Northgate Hospital, the earth pressure balancing machine was guided by laser to create the new 1.5m diameter sewer, which will act as an overflow to the existing Victorian sewers.

About 490m of sewer has already been installed running from a new storage tank in the car park of Northgate St Andrews First School up Northgate Street, across Lawn Avenue and towards the existing Tar Works Road pumping station.

The storage tank beneath the school car park will be able to hold up to 850 cubic metres of water while sewer capacity in the area has been trebled.

Anglian Water spokeman Sara Rowland said tunnelling was the most appropriate method as it did not require roads being dug up. She explained the tunnelling machine had been moved to a factory in the Midlands where it will be refurbished before completing its next task.

The company expects the project to be completed by Easter.