THE Government has been urged to hand over vital cash needed to repair the damage caused by the devastating Boxing Day floods.

David Nuttall, Conservative MP for Bury North, has joined the calls for more help, saying last week that the Bury Council is owed £2.6 million towards repairing local infrastructure that was damaged in the disaster.

The council has so far received £750,000 from the Department of Transport to help with the repairs, but is still millions of pounds out of pocket.

Speaking during a debate in the House of Commons on Friday, Mr Nuttall said: "Parts of my constituency were devastated by the Boxing Day floods last year and the council is still struggling to restore the damaged infrastructure.

"They calculate that even after the £750,000 they've received from the Department of Transport, they still have a £2.6 million shortfall in repairing those damages.

"Will you speak with ministers across Government to see what further help they can provide to speed up the reinstatement process?"

Hundreds of homes and businesses across the borough were flooded on Boxing Day, in the worst disaster of its kind in Bury for decades.

Cllr Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, said: "We are liaising with the government on a regular basis to ensure we get the full amount of funding required to help the borough fully recover from the devastating Boxing Day floods.

"Almost 11 months after the flooding we shouldn’t be in this position and I would call on Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsom, to act quickly to remedy the situation."

Council chiefs gave assurances last month that work on designing a new flood defence scheme for the Radcliffe and Redvales area is well underway, though a scheme for the north of the borough will require more investigation.

Responding to Mr Nuttall's question, Mrs Leadsom said: "I completely sympathise with all those who were flooded. It is an appalling thing to happen.

"Following the Boxing day floods, the Environment Agency carried out £500,000-worth of maintenance work in Bury to remove gravel, debris and blockages.

"A £1.5-million flood defence scheme was completed in November 2014, providing better protection for 164 homes and businesses in the Stubbins area of Bury.

"I will, of course, look into the point my honourable friend raises about people who are still suffering from the damage done by last winter’s floods."