A BUSINESSMAN has described the start of works to clear a river after the town was blighted by flooding last year as a “weight off his shoulders.” Earlier this year, Neil Bevan said that Llangefni had been “flooded and forgotten” after parts of the town were submerged under several feet of water in November after the River Cefni burst its banks. Mr Bevan, who runs Bevans Caravan and Camping Supplies with his wife Tracey, says his business suffered losses of £22,000 in the floods and was unable to get contents insurance until the situation is resolved. But this week, officers from Natural Resources Wales have been working on sections of the river, including a portion of the Cefni that flows just yards from his shop front. According to the body, the work includes cutting trees and removing stones and debris from the river bed in order to allow improved river flow. In response, Mr Bevan has paid tribute to the staff for their work thus far. “Credit where its due, the workers have been fantastic and have kept us informed all week long,” he said. “We were very frustrated at the lack of action after the flooding last year, but its great to see something being done. “We can start planning now for winter without the threat of water levels increasing, it gives us peace of mind. “The feedback’s been quite positive, there’s been a couple of negative comments but that’s to be expected with a project of this size.” Richard Weston, NRW’s flood risk analysis team leader, said: “We are currently carrying out maintenance work to help with the flow of the river. “This involves removing debris and some larger stones from the bed and cutting back some trees and vegetation. “We are also undertaking a project to investigate current and future flood risk in Llangefni with a view to identifying suitable long-term solutions for managing it. “We have consulted with the local community and will continue to do so”. A spokesperson for Anglesey Council, which has been woking with NRW to find out the cause of last year’s flooding, added: “The Afon Cefni is one of the major rivers on the Island, it runs from Llyn Cefni and flows south-west of the island to the Irish Sea. “Following the recent flooding, which occurred in November 2017, the Isle of Anglesey County Council and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) have been working closely together to investigate and mitigate the flood risks in the Llangefni area. “The Authority is committed to supporting the town of Llangefni following the flooding and recently completed the building of a new wall and river clearing works at Pont y Plas, which will lessen the flood risk to the properties of Ffordd Glandwr and Church Street. “We also welcome the work that is currently being done by NRW  in the Afon Cefni which further reduces the risks of flooding in the area.”