Night time rescue from K&A Canal in Reading

A woman was rescued by firefighters from the River Kennet at County Lock last night (Saturday).

County Lock Reading: Picture by Bob Naylor©

Firefighters from Reading Wokingham Road Fire Station and a water rescue unit from Caversham Road were called to County Lock in Reading shortly after 7pm where they found a woman in the water clinging on to a ladder.

They quickly pulled out the woman in her twenties who was very cold and shocked but otherwise unharmed.

K&A Canal nature reserve delay

Plans for a nature reserve on land at Fobney Island  on the River Kennet on the K&A Canal on the outskirts of Reading will be delayed because of lack of funds.

Kennet & Avon Canal navigation warning

Because of high water levels on both the River Avon and the River Kennet on the Kennet & Avon Canal British Waterways advise that boats do not navigate these sections until the levels drop.

More information from:  01380 722859

River Kennet is the country's second worst river says poll

The River Kennet in Hungerford: Picture by Bob Naylor

The River Kennet was judged to be the second worst river in a poll run by 'Our Rivers' — a pressure group that is a coalition of The Angling Trust, The Salmon and Trout Association, the RSPB and the WWF. 

The River Kennet at County Lock in Reading: Picture by Bob Naylor

The River Kennet came in second behind the River Thames  — which strangely was judged to be both the worst and the second best river in the country — and the River Mersey came in third worst behind the River Kennet.

The poll asked the question, "Is your local river teeming with wildlife or choking with pollution? Is it a place for quiet contemplation, or toxic contamination?" and said, "Whether it's a sparkling stream or a dried up desert, we want to know."

Voters were asked to rate the worst rivers for the presence of invasive species such as crayfish and mink, over abstraction, agricultural pollution, man-made structures blocking fish movement, pollution from roads and sewage and other discharges .

For the best river voters were asked to rate them as great for fishing, a place to relax, the presence of wildlife, access for visiting and great for swimming, canoeing and boating.

The campaign was launched last year to fight for clean and healthy rivers — in the same year as a Government report revealed that 74% of the UK's rivers are failing to meet EU environmental targets.

For more information about the poll go to: www.ourrivers.org.uk 

Mother and daughter rescued from River Kennet bog

The Chiltern Air Support Unit were there overseeing the rescue 
and there is a link to their film of the rescue below.

A mother and daughter were rescued after getting into difficulty in a bog beside the River Kennet while walking their dog at the weekend.

They were walking near the river close to Rose Kiln Lane in Reading when the mother fell over in the mud. Her daughter went to help her and rapidly began to sink.

She was up to her chest in the mud with her mother lying next to her when the emergency services got to them after they were located by the police helicopter.

Because of the immediate danger the daughter was in a firefighter and a policeman went into the bog to rescue her at once.

The water rescue team from Caversham Road Fire Station was called in and they used an inflatable rescue sledge to rescue the mother. The mother and daughter were checked out by paramedics and then taken home.

The daughter, who did not want to be named, said, "I thought we were going to die, without the police helicopter, the police, the firefighters and medics I don't think we would have made it. We are so grateful to everyone who helped to rescue us."

View film of the rescue from the Chiltern Air Support Unit at: Dramatic film from Chiltern Air Support Unit