A group of 19 canoeists from the Newport area of South Wales had to be rescued after getting into difficulty on the fast flowing River Wye on Saturday.

THE alarm was raised on Saturday afternoon, June 23rd, when Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) was called to the river at between Lydbrook and Bishopswood, near Kerne Bridge.

The Service was alerted to the incident just before 5.50pm and Swift Water Rescue teams from Hereford and Worcester attended along with fire crews from Ross and Whitchurch. Water First Responders from Ross also attended, supported by further rescue teams from SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) and WMSAR (West Midlands Search and Rescue).

One person was rescued from the river by Water First Responders from Ross while the remaining 18 canoeists in the group managed to get themselves out of the water at various points along a two-mile stretch of the river.

Group Commander Rob Ball from HWFRS confirmed that fire, police and ambulance crews (including a specialist Hazardous Area Rescue Team from West Midlands Ambulance Service), worked closely to establish the whereabouts of all members of the party and provide medical check ups for those who had entered the water.

He said: "Due to the river level and flow at the time, this incident had the potential to be very serious and I would like to take the opportunity to remind people who use the river to be mindful of the effect that rainfall may have on its level and speed."

He urged anyone hiring a boat to take note of the safety briefs provided by the hire company and to ensure that everyone on board the boat is wearing a buoyancy aid, whether using their own boat or a hired one.

The water levels in the River Wye are very high at this time and therefore particularly dangerous.