NATURE’S civil engineer, the beaver, could make a return to the Dean to help control flooding in Lower Lydbrook.

The Forestry Commission chiefs are considering releasing the ingenious rodents into a brook above Lydbrook to protect the village which was badly flooded in 2012.

They have invited expert Derek Gow to tell Lydbrook residents how putting beavers into Greathough Brook could help avert flooding.

Mr Gow was a leading figure in the Devon Beaver Trial, which found that over the course of four years beavers created 14 major dam systems on a 200 metre water course.

He will address a meeting in Lydbrook Memorial Hall on March 9.

Beavers can create series of dams capable of retaining large amounts of water in Greathough Brook, which would otherwise cascade down into Lydbrook.

Dams built by beavers act like a sponge, experts say, and mitigate flooding by storing and then slowly releasing water.

As well as holding back water, the beavers are also said to increase biodiversity in woodland areas with some claiming their activities can help any rare species thrive.

Although some engineering work has been carried out to stop the floods of 2012 which wrecked homes and businesses, many believe it also needs natural solutions to slow the flow of the water.