A flooding expert from Marlow tasked with overseeing the new multi-million pound flood defence project said he is determined to protect his home town from further damage.

Barry Russell, of Barnards Hill, is the operations manager for the Environment Agency responsible for flood risk work in the West Thames region and briefed Prime Minister David Cameron during last year's floods.

He will lead the design, installation and maintenance of the project after Marlow’s long-awaited Flood Alleviation Scheme was given the green light late last year.

The 45-year-old - rewarded with an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours - said the project to protect about 300 homes is close to his heart, having moved with his wife and three children to Marlow in 2010.

And the award-winning engineer is quick to reassure Marlovians that the £6.5 million system of flood walls and overflow areas currently being finalised will banish the memory of the widespread damage caused during last winter’s floods.

He said: “It’s really interesting for me because a lot of my friends and colleagues live in the flood plain including where my son goes to school, and were flooded out during last year’s floods.

“I try to give them advice and to give them reassurance that we are progressing with the scheme.

“When I took my son to football last year during the floods I did get asked quite a lot about what I knew.

“I do a lot of schemes around the country so it’s great to have one so local to me, and great to be able to protect the community and lots of people I know very well and give them some reassurance their homes are protected for many years come.”

Mr Russell said investigative work is underway on the scheme before designs are finalised and construction begins. Planning permission is already in place.

Plans include constructing flood walls, bunds, and groundwater pumping wells at Pound Lane, Lower Pound Lane, Gossmore Lane and Firview Close.

The former Royal Grammar School pupil estimates the series of bunds and pumps should be in place and ready for action by 2017, with construction time of about a year once the project is finalised on paper.

As well as bringing his experience to his role as a major in the Army Reserves, Mr Russell also oversees the operations at Marlow weir through his role of asset management at the EA.

And the dedicated Marlovian says he was delighted the agency’s efforts have been recognised through his MBE award, after it came in for criticism nationally following last year’s devastating floods.

He said: “It was a huge surprise and an honour to be nominated, and very humbling.

“The real celebrations will come when I get the award nearer the summer but there was a bottle or two of champagne over the festive period.

“It’s not just a celebration for me but for the other partners I work with, it’s a recognition of what we do in flood management.

“It has come in for a bit of criticism and it feels like a vindication that we are really trying hard to protect communities from flooding, it’s a real team effort.”