Rainfall hits Thames boat firms

Boat hire companies along the River Thames say they are turning away customers due to recent heavy rainfall.

Red warning boards have been put up along high parts of the river across Oxfordshire and Berkshire, which stop inexperienced sailors using the route.

It means holidaymakers must choose to cancel their trips or get an expert to drive their boat short distances across the most treacherous parts.

Businesses say they are having to pay customers back for cancelled bookings.

Gordon Wicks, of Caversham Boat Services, said: "We had a slow start to the season due to the weather and we are now again struggling.

'High flows'

"We're having to give money back to customers. No business can survive long having to give money back to customers."

Holidaymaker Trevor Fox decided to keep his booking but said he has been affected.

"It has spoilt it a little bit because we wanted to do our own thing, moor up when we wanted to and look at many places," he added.

Businesses have also claimed the warning boards have been going up too quickly and not being removed when river flows are safe.

But River Thames waterway manager Eileen McKeever said any changes in water levels can be dangerous and safety must come first.

"The river is sensitive to any rainfall and last week we had more than a month's rainfall in one day," she said.

"All that water is coming down and causing very high flows."

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