Long-awaited improvements to water drainage in a north Norfolk village may have to wait due to a lack of money.

Residents have been complaining about the lack of rain water drainage to the North Walsham Road in Trunch for many years.

It would cost about £27,000 to improve the drainage, although that estimate could increase as the problem gets worse.

Brian Boughton, chairman of the parish council, said: 'For the last 12 years we have made requests to Norfolk County Council to improve the drainage of the highway on the North Walsham Road. Parish councillors have even met highways engineers from the county.

'During periods of rain, pedestrians are being drenched by the action of vehicles, travelling through large puddles of water that have formed along the channels at the edge of the road. Those considerate drivers that do try to avoid making a splash create danger by moving into the oncoming traffic lane.'

Norfolk county councillor for Trunch, Ed Maxfield, is investigating how he can earmark £2,000 of his highways budget as a contribution towards the cost of the works.

However, in the meantime, the parish council is embarking on a campaign to highlight the issue by lobbying councillors and North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb.

A Norfolk County Council spokesman said: 'We would like to meet every request for improving our roads, but given ever diminishing resources from central government, we need to prioritise them by investing in schemes which will improve safety, and protect properties and businesses most successfully from flooding.

'That inevitably means some people are going to be disappointed and we understand that people have strong views about issues in their local areas but we have a responsibility to everyone in Norfolk and have to balance needs across the whole of the county.

'Many local councils across Norfolk have successfully used our Parish Partnership funding scheme to help pay for schemes which are a high priority for the local community, and our county councillors also have a fund which they can use to contribute to local schemes.'

if you can help raise funds, contact the parish council chairman at brianboughton@btinternet.com