Reindeer Look-a-Like Freed by MVS Severn

Christmas preparations were put on hold on 19th December when Tewkesbury based Severn Unit Maritime Volunteer Service received a telephone call from Avon Lock Keeper Bob Scarrott and a request for them to try and clear passage for a vessel due down from Pershore as King Johns Bridge had become blocked.  Head of Unit Nic Price said “This was a surprise but members of the Unit were mobilised on a very wet December morning and spent several hours out on the river in steady rain clearing a tree trunk that at first glance appeared to be a “reindeer that had lost its way!”  This was in turn was holding back a large raft of debris that had blocked both centre arches and would certainly have caused restricted flow should there be another flood”  Mr Clive Matthews from Avon Navigation Trust said how pleased he was that this was done before any further flooding occurred and thanked Severn Unit MVS for all their help in opening up navigation again.
 
Picture shows Severn Unit MVS members Ben Foster-Smith, Jane Thomas and Trevor Coupland out in the Unit’s Quicksilver inflatable which they launched especially for the job