MP NICOLA Blackwood has waded into the row over £2.5m plans to replace a historic Thames weir.

The Oxford West and Abingdon MP wants a rethink on the project to replace Northmoor Weir, near Eaton.

The structure is one of the last hand-operated paddle and rymer weirs left on the Thames and a local campaign has been mounted to save it.

The Environment Agency (EA) says the work is needed for health and safety and flood defence reasons.

But in a Westminster Hall debate this week, Ms Blackwood urged Defra Minister Richard Benyon to suspend the project until there has been a “full and transparent cost-benefit analysis” of the project.

Ms Blackwood said the weir was extensively refurbished in 1995 and given a 40- to 60-year life expectancy.

The Tory MP has also raised the controversy with Prime Minister David Cameron, whose Witney constituency is on the other side of the river.

She added: “At a meeting between the EA, Northmoor and Appleton parish councillors and myself in December, the EA acknowleged that there has never been any problem with the operation of the weir, even in times of flood.

“My constituents face flood risk daily, but they are not asking for preferential treatment or for funding of projects that do not meet the cost-benefit thresholds that Defra has set down.”

Eaton resident Mike Hill, 51, of the Northmoor Weir Campaign, who attended the Westminster Hall debate, said: “Nicola was magnificent in summarising all the connected issues.

“Mr Benyon’s response was disappointing because he seemed to be saying the scheme should proceed on the basis of what the EA has told him.

“This combines a health and safety issue and a flood defence issue – but both arguments have been refuted.

“If this is a health and safety issue then the work should not be funded by flood defence money.

“If there is a flood defence issue, the EA has to prove that there will be additional flood protection from a mechanised weir. Our campaign is not over.”

The Environment Agency maintains it has a legal duty to its employees to replace the manually-operated weir with a modern motorised one on health and safety grounds.

Residents living nearby say the 115-year-old weir is of historic value and claim the change would be a waste of money.

The weir replacement work, due to start next month, will be carried out over two years.