River Welland water level remains low with swans struggling to swim and Welland Yacht Club unable to sail

Swans are seen struggling to swim is this video, which shows the record low water levels on the River Welland in Spalding.

The birds can be seen half swimming, half wading as they move along the river bed.

The river is being kept at a low level by the Environment Agency.

The agency says that by keeping the Welland low it will help the Cowbit and Crowland Wash recover after a river bank collapsed following Storm Henk earlier this year.

It’s not just birds that have been affected by the low river levels.

Welland Yacht Club is currently unable to sail as a knock-on effect of the water levels.

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The club has been given a provisional date of May 1 for when the water will be back at a high enough level for its members.

The water taxi already confirmed it was postponing the start of its season, while volunteer clean-up crews have used the low water level as an opportunity to fish out rubbish.

The water taxi usually starts running at the start of April, or to coincide with Easter.

Peterborough and District Angling Association teamed up with the Wombles of Spalding Common to clear the river with traffic cones, trolleys and other debris revealed as water levels dropped.

Rob Harris, chair of P&DAA, described the work as “making the most of a bad situation” as he questioned the long-term impact of the low river levels for fish and plants.

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