High alert flood warning for Sawley Marina and lock

A FLOOD warning is now in force for the Trent at Sawley Marina, including Sawley Lock and the B6540 Tamworth Road at Sawley.

Issued by the Environment Agency this also includes low lying farms, with instructions to vacate and take vehicles at risk onto higher ground, Janet Friend reports.

This morning

This was issued this morning (Tuesday) with the warning including the closure of the B6540 Tamworth Road at Sawley that gives access to the marina.

The surrounding low lying ground is also included in the warning and the agency stresses that immediate action is required.

It tells that river levels are high as a result of heavy rainfall and melting snow. Consequently, the risk of flooding remains. Areas most at risk are Sawley Marina including Sawley Lock, and the B6540 Tamworth Road at Sawley. Rainfall is forecast for the day.

Our picture shows the level at Sawley lock when the last big flood hit the marina in 2000 but no boats were lost as the then British Waterways provided manpower to check all boats making sure they could rise with the flood. However four were sunk on those at Derby Marina on Sawley Cut, and even three above Derwent Mouth Lock.  (We were moored at Sawley Marina at the time.)

Leicester Section

The Soar and Leicester Section are also suffering bad flooding with images of the waterway stretching across roads with narrowboats shown out of the actual waterway and cars in the waterway in Leicester.

The caravan park at Barrow-on-Soar is flooded though above the lock, with residents advised to vacate.