Life 'like wartime' for stranded Thames boaters

Much of the River Thames is on red boards - meaning boaters are advised not to move by the Environment Agency

"You can lose your asset and your home in a flash second," is how one boater described current life on the River Thames following recent flooding and high water levels.

Under guidance from the Environment Agency, boat users are advised not to move if there is a strong stream warning - known as being on red boards.

It means boaters are having to sit tight and wait for conditions to improve - vulnerable to changes in the water level.

'I had to be rescued'

Paul Pilfold said it felt like "wartime" on the river

Paul Pilfold said he had to be rescued from his boat by the fire service two weeks ago after the water level rose by 2ft (0.6m) overnight.

The boat drifted over the towpath at Goring Lock near Reading, putting it at risk of becoming caught on structures from underneath, as well as being dragged down by the ropes.

"I was really quite worried," he said.

He has been stationary ever since, waiting for the river conditions to go back into the yellow - where boat users are advised to navigate with caution, or find a safe mooring.

Mr Pilfold said the lock-keeper was not charging him for mooring there like he normally would.

"It's a lot like the wartime experience," he said.

"Everybody's friendly and everybody wants to help you out."

'Sleepless nights'

Keith Norfolk said there was nowhere "truly safe" he could go

Keith Norfolk lives on his boat with his wife Maria and their dog.

They are trying to get to the River Kennet for winter but have been stuck on the Thames at Wallingford since 22 September because of the red boards.

At one point, they had to wade through water to get to civilisation.

"I had a few sleepless nights... getting up every couple of hours and seeing what was happening outside," Mr Norfolk said.

The water level has since started to fall, but it is still high and Mr Norfolk said he could not leave the boat unattended.

"We haven't really got anywhere truly safe to go," he added.

The field next to the boat flooded, making access to the town difficult

'From magical to stressful'

Demelza Blick lives part-time on her boat while she is renovating a house in Bicester.

She foresaw the approaching conditions and tried to move her boat to its winter mooring in Hambleden, but the river went red with two locks to go and she has been stuck in Wargrave ever since.

"My main emotion is anxiety," she said.

Ms Blick used to live full time on a boat but went down to part time partly because of the floods.

"I'm contemplating giving up the lifestyle fully," she said.

"It can go from magical to really stressful - and you're losing your asset and your home in a flash second."

An Environment Agency spokesman said September saw more than three times the average rainfall in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

Lock-keepers have been monitoring conditions and crews removing debris that increases the flood risk, they continued.

"The Thames remains very sensitive to more rainfall, so it is not possible to predict when we will be able to reduce and/or remove the red warning," they added.