River Wye canoeing disrupted as water levels drop

Boats in a river popular for water sports are frequently getting stuck in shallow water due to the recent heatwaves.

Part of the River Wye in Gloucestershire is used by canoeists and has a ferry crossing service.

With the water levels becoming significantly shallower in some sections, businesses are having to limit the activities they are offering.

One said there are issues with canoeists "grounding out".

Nick Wells, managing director of Canoe The Wye, said it has forced his company to change its routes to avoid getting stuck.

He said there are "some places where its completely dried up and its impossible to canoe".

Mr Wells said while "some sections are naturally low even in most summers", the recent heat has worsened the situation.

He said: "We're constantly in communication with the Environment Agency, and reporting back if there are any sections where people are continuously grounding out."

Local resident Gerald Gardiner said levels are the lowest they have been since 1976.

His family were boatmen and fishermen in the area for many years, and he believes the river is in a "critical condition".

Rory Upton recently started a job at Ancient Hand Ferry, offering crossings across the river.

He said: "I started last Sunday and even in that time the rivers dropped quite a lot.

"The water is so much lower."

Mr Upton said it makes his job "very difficult" as he "almost always" has to jump out of the ferry and heave it off the rocks when it completes a crossing.

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]