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Norfolk boat firms 'worried sick' about high water levels

Martham Boats White and orange narrowboat being steered through a stone bridgeMartham Boats
There is now hardly any clearance between boats and the bridge

Boat firms say they are fearing for their future because high water levels are making a historic bridge almost impassable.

They say only the smallest vessels can now get under Potter Heigham bridge on The Broads in Norfolk.

Hire firms are having to weigh their vessels down so they can safely pass under the medieval crossing.

The water level has also left some boatyards near the bridge flooded and unusable.

Robin Richardson Old stone bridge showing high water level in the riverRobin Richardson
The water level has been high since October

Potter Heigham bridge on the River Thurne is not easy to navigate even when the water is at its average level and many hirers use boat pilots to take their craft safely under the stonework.

Since October, there has hardly been any clearance between the roofs of boats and the bridge, and many larger craft have been unable to get through.

Ian Curtis, of Martham Boats, which has been trading for 77 years about a mile from the bridge, said: "We've had problems since before Storm Babet in October.

"That half-term we had to swap people over on boats on either side of the bridge. This is starting to affect people's livelihoods."

Robin Richardson Two men in blue overalls wearing wellington boats stand in water with a building behind themRobin Richardson
Peter and Robin Richardson, owners of Phoenix Fleet, said their yard and car park had been swamped with water

Brothers Peter and Robin Richardson, who run Phoenix Fleet, have been unable to work for months due to the flooding, which has left their car park and yard swamped.

Robin Richardson said: "No one is denying there has been heavy rain but in all our lives we have never seen anything like this."

"A lot of people are worried sick," he added.

Nippy Chippy, the fish and chip shop next to Potter bridge, has endured frequent floods this year and fears it may have to close in the next six months if the situation does not improve.

Manager Liam Chipperfield said: "We just don't see an end. We're barely keeping open at the moment. If this continues throughout the summer we won't be open come the winter."

Robin Richardson People beside a river, with a pub in the backgroundRobin Richardson
A photo from the 1950s suggests the water level at Potter Heigham bridge was much lower then

Some businesses have called for more dredging to lower the river bed, but the Environment Agency (EA) does not believe that is the solution.

A spokesperson for the EA said: "While dredging may seem a conventional approach, our decision not to pursue it is based on our current understanding of the river's dynamics and ensuring that our interventions are focussed on long-term efficacy over short-lived fixes."

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