WATCH: None but the brave – or foolish – risk flooded A1101 at Welney

John Wayne famously described courage as “being scared to death, but saddling up anyway”, which is probably how drivers using the A1101 at Welney are feeling today.

Despite caution being urged and the local Welney Flood Watch group advice to find an alternative route, a hardy group of drivers – mainly it must be said lorries and tractors – are using the road to avoid 20-mile detours.

The flood watch group – run voluntarily by villagers – now has 10,000 Facebook followers and springs into action when the road either looks like flooding or, as the case today, has begun to flood.

At 6.44am today the flood watch group posted that “river levels at Welney have risen again overnight and are currently 2.58m (trigger 2.40m)

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“The level of flood water on the road is now, on the shallow heading to Welney side 7inches deep, centre line 9 inches and on that deeper heading to Littleport side 14 to 15 inches deep.

“Flows are strong, and level is still rising”.

The group has also pointed out that the flashings signs indicating depth of water ahead are not functioning properly and “we are likely to see some swamped and stranded vehicles today.

“It is really annoying that they still are not functioning despite several e-mails”.

The Environment Agency says river levels in the area “are slowly rising in response to recent rainfall.

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“Flooding is expected on the Hundred Foot (Ouse) Washes for several days. This information is correct as of 07:30 on 6/11/23. There are currently no issues on the Earith causeway.

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“The causeway at Sutton Gault has approximately 30 centimetres of water on the road. The causeway at Welney has approximately 17 centimetres of water on the road. Due to the uneven surface of the roads, water may be deeper in places”.

The Environment Agency says it is liaising with Norfolk Highways who will decide whether to close Welney causeway.

“Today’s rainfall will keep river levels high, while floodwater is also travelling down the River Great Ouse towards the Ouse Washes,” it says.

“Avoid driving through flood water. We are monitoring the situation, we will update this message by 4pm today, 6/11/23.”

Welney Flood Watch says its intention remains to inform interested parties as to the up-to-date position of the flooding of the A1101 road through the village of Welney, Norfolk.

“Whilst best endeavours are made to be as accurate as possible, the team accept no responsibility for any liability or damage caused as a result of the information provided,” it adds.

Meanwhile here’s the latest photos from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, which is also being challenged by river levels.