A FOUR-YEAR battle to get a flood siren installed in Harwich has been lost.

The siren was removed by Essex County Council in 2011 and replaced with a text and email alert system to cut costs.

But residents and councillors were concerned the warnings might not reach all residents, and in 2012 Harwich Town Council agreed to have a new siren installed.

Now it has been told that none of the agencies involved in the local emergency plan will take on and activate a new flood siren.

Councillor Robert Day said the council was disappointed it had not been advised it would not be possible sooner.

For the full story see this week’s Standard, out now.