DUNFERMLINE’S disastrous flood prevention scheme – delivered eight years late and an eye-watering £30 million over budget – has failed its first real test.

In August, the Press told you residents were concerned a “constantly clogged” drain in Pittencrieff Park was “risking a flood” due to lack of maintenance.

Their fears came true following heavy rain at the weekend, with Forth Street householders waking on Sunday to discover the road under fast-flowing water due to a blocked culvert.

The build-up of water also caused a stone wall and railings at Milton Green/Lovers Loan to collapse, damaging two parked cars.

The scheme was designed to minimise the risk of flooding to 175 homes and businesses near the Lyne, Tower and Calais burns, from Brucefield to the McKane Park area.

Residents are now questioning if they put up with eight years of “undiluted hell” for nothing.

One resident, who did not want to be named, woke about 4am to find Forth Street “like a river”.

She said: “I looked out and the water was above the kerb. People were out moving their cars at 3 or 4am.

“A culvert’s been put in under the junction of the road from the Glen with a massive channel further down.

“Debris had built up at the culvert grille so the water couldn’t get into the channel and was coming down Forth Street instead.

“The water built up so much that it took the wall down near Coal Road and it was coming out the Glen gates.

“I went along Abington Road and it looked like the water had gone into some garages and gardens as well.

“By the time you got up, it was all gone but there was a massive path of debris where the water had been.

“We’ve gone through years of hell with this flood prevention scheme and to find it doesn’t work is just gutting. All that hard work. This shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

“I’m sure the channels work but you have to maintain it, otherwise it’s pointless. The water’s not getting in.

“The Press reported a few months ago that there would be a problem if the debris wasn’t cleared but that was obviously ignored and now this has happened.”

Claire Chalmers, also of Forth Street, said she was “cynical” about the scheme.

She added: “It’s totally ironic that 23 years ago, this was what triggered the whole scheme – water didn’t get into pipes, went into the road, spilled into the Glen and broke the wall.

“The whole problem is that the water has to get into the system and right now that’s not happening.

“Fife Council hasn’t cured the problem at all. It was the most fundamental part of the whole scheme and they didn’t look into it.

“What we were put through was absolutely ridiculous and it’s not even borne fruit at the one time it was supposed to prove its worth.”

Fife Council’s emergency response team was called out and Coal Road was reopened on Monday night.

Councillor Pat Callaghan, executive spokesperson for environment and transportation said: “We’re disappointed and very frustrated by the flash flooding event at Pittencrieff Park as, of course, nearby residents will be too.

“In addition to the planned weekly Friday check and clearance of the culvert grille, once we received the severe weather warning, we again checked and cleared the culvert trash screen at the bottom of the park on Saturday as well.

“Unfortunately, the exceptionally heavy rain carried such an immense volume of debris down the burn from the park that it choked the trash screen to both culverts during Saturday night.

“The burn overtopped, the water was trapped within the park and eventually caused a section of wall to collapse at Coal Road.

“The flooding was reported to us at 4am on Sunday and an emergency response team immediately went out and cleared the blockage.

"We’ll fully investigate what can be done both short and long-term to reduce the risk of this trash screen choking."