The ancient culvert starts at the former Babbington Colliery and runs through the parishes of Awsworth and Cossall before entering Ilkeston Junction, where it crosses under the railway bridge to Wentworth Street before continuing on its final journey across land currently occupied by Rayden Engineering but absent from his Title Deeds. This land is adjacent to the adversely possessed triangle of land next to our properties. After crossing this land it meets with the River Erewash at the bottom of Wentworth Street. Under normal circumstances the water drains into the river. During high river levels a flap valve to this culvert fitted by the Environment Agency in 2002 automatically shuts to prevent river water back surging through the culvert to flood the land taken and occupied by Rayden Engineering. During high river levels the drainage collected from Babbington, Awsworth, Cossall and Ilkeston Junction is unable to escape via the River Erewash and overspills onto the previously porous Flood Zone 3 land. This water is now unable to drain away through the compacted hardcore with no drainage laid without planning consent by Rayden Engineering.

 

During high river levels, water from the first parcel of land acquired by Rayden Engineering for storage drains onto the lower level compacted hardcore with no drainage, now built up higher than the 15 properties and gardens situated at the lowest level of all the Rayden Engineering development, thus taking all of the trapped and rediverted floodwater.