Sailing club moves pontoon after water levels drop

A sailing club that provides opportunities for people with disabilities has successfully repositioned its pontoon after it was left high and dry by a drop in water levels.

The Wolverstone Project Sailing Club, which operates on Alton Water, had to cancel events at the Suffolk reservoir.

Sally Moore, a trustee at the organisation, said volunteers managed to roll the pontoon further into the water on Monday, a move she described as a "major achievement".

Anglian Water, which runs Alton Water, said the reservoir was only 58% full - 29% lower than it would expect at this time of year.

A session that was planned for Monday had to be cancelled due to the low water level but activities are set to resume on 12 October, then continue until the end of the season in December, weather permitting.

Moore said the moving of the pontoon involved rolling it down a sandy slope using "winches and all manner of gadgets".

The pontoon is essential as it allows the sailors, some of whom use wheelchairs, to board boats safely.

"We were discussing how it was a bit like the pyramids in Egypt, rolling something really heavy down sand, we used some of that technology to get it down there," Moore explained.

She said the pontoon had been moved 36ft (11m) and was now in 11ft (3.5m) depth of water.

David Cooke, chair of the trustees at the charity, said boards and rollers had to be used to move each section of the pontoon closer to the water.

"Powerful boats then pulled the pontoon out in to the water," he said.

The classes, he said, "make such a big difference to our sailors and their families and carers, it's something that's important to them and gets them out on the water in to December."

In August, the National Drought Group declared 71.3% of England to be in drought, after the nation recorded its driest July since records began in 1836.

Suffolk was placed under a hosepipe ban in July due to prolonged dry spells.

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