Rescue boats for Avon and Severn

Published: Thursday, 14 April 2011

BOTH a volunteer river rescue group and the fire service will share £122,000 in government cash for new boats for use on the Avon and Severn.

South Worcestershire Lifesaving and Lifeguard Club and Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service based in Pershore on the Avon, will both get funding for new out-board rescue boats and to train the crews manning them, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Devastating and costly floods

The fire service will get £50,000 and the rescue club £72,000, from Defra, from a £2.7 million flood rescue grant scheme, that was made after the 2007 devastating and costly floods that hit the area. The picture shows the Avon in the 2007 flood.

Chief fire officer Mark Yates explained:

"With three of the country's major rivers in our borders, we recognise the need for our communities to have immediate water rescue capability which we provide in conjunction with our blue light partners and those in the voluntary sector."

The new equipment will be added to the National Asset Register of resources which emergency services can call in to use if a major flood occurs.