The Environment Agency funding will see Kirklees Council clear and desilt parts of five rivers, including the Calder, which runs through Mirfield, Ravensthorpe and Savile Town.

The eight-week scheme, to increase each river's capacity, will involve removing debris, silt, general rubbish and vegetation in an effort to prevent a repeat of the serious flooding seen last June.

Emergency services, Yorkshire Water and Kirklees Council were inundated with calls from homeowners in Ravensthorpe, Chickenley and Mirfield as they struggled to stop the water swamping homes.

Dewsbury train station was shut for several days while roads were closed in Mirfield, Cleckheaton and Liversedge.

Kirklees Council's Cabinet member for the environment Coun David Hall said: "Certainly the floods last year and in January this year were pretty devastating to residents. Particularly badly affected was Ravensthorpe because some people there live under ground level in cellars, but they held a public meeting about that last week which was quite positive.

"One of the things from the council's point of view is we've got systems in place now where we can move straight away as soon as there's any inkling of flooding because we know where the areas are."