The reptiles are hibernating on the banks of the Ouse close to Lewes Rowing Club and a project to build a one metre flood wall, which was due to begin in February, cannot start until they wake up.

The Environment Agency (EA) is managing the Cliffe flood defence scheme.
Brendon Parsons, secretary of Lewes Rowing Club claims, told members in a newsletter: 'All the reptiles are protected species and work cannot start until they have been safely removed from harm's way.

'They were discovered too late to catch them before they went into winter hibernation - and 18 weeks of work that was due to begin in February has been delayed until the reptiles wake when the temperature reaches 10 degrees centigrade, usually around the middle of April.'

He said the delay meant member and visitors to the popular club would have to work around an 'army of builders' but insisted they would be able to continue boating and enjoy a busy season of events.

Mr Parsons said the EA told him the reptiles should have been identified and moved last summer before hibernation.

He said: 'They (the EA) blame an earlier survey in June 2007 which concluded there was a "low risk" of finding reptiles on the site - a ludicrous finding for an area with semi-wild vegetation, beside a river and opposite the Railway Land Nature Reserve.

'The consultants responsible for that assessment are no longer working on the scheme.

'Thankfully the current agency management seem to be on top of the job now and are working with the club committee to minimise disruption for our members as much as possible.'

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said the delay of the scheme was not entirely due to the hibernating reptiles and said it was not uncommon for the Government agency to move the start date on a project of this size.

He also said planning permission for the project was not granted until January and the EA had to satisfy a number of conditions made by Lewes District Council.

He told the Express: 'We are committed to improving Lewes' flood protection.

Since the floods in 2000, the Environment Agency has dedicated more than £3.3 million for projects to improve defences in Lewes, increasing protection for nearly 500 residential and up to 50 commercial and public properties, and we will do more.

'The Environment Agency, together with many other environmental groups, works to protect our rare wildlife and habitats.

'While our original assessment found no reptiles, and a start date for works was based upon this, continued monitoring later established their presence.

'While this could potentially cause a delay in flood protection works starting at the Rowing Club we will be able to start carrying out works in other areas of the town.'