18 September 2012 Last updated at 03:45 ET

New flood warning sirens in Leeds tested

Newly-installed flood warning sirens in Leeds are to be sounded for the first time as part of maintenance tests.

The siren in the Dunhills Estate, East Leeds, have been installed as part of flood defence work at Wyke Beck.

The Environment Agency said the tests would happen at 14:00 and 18:00 BST and would be sounded for two minutes.

Before the sirens are sounded vehicles with loudhailers will be used to alert people. Agency officers will also be on the estate to speak to residents.

Beck 'can rise'

The Environment Agency said residents in Dunhills had been flooded three times by Wyke Beck in recent years but recent work had reduced the risk to 70 properties.

David Davenport, resident and chairman of Dunhills Flood Action Group, said: "We know from experience that this beck can rise very quickly.

"We need the earliest possible warning to protect ourselves and our properties."

The Environment Agency already has eight flood sirens, which sound like an air-raid siren, in Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd.