Photos by Peter Harper

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Emhrys Barrell, local organiser, writes:-

Red boards out, but still 8 boats, including Princes Marina, passenger boat from Thames River Cruises, tugs, barges, nbs, canoes, dinghies..

60+ people, bikes, canoes, rowers, walkers, all the local press, 5 minute interview on Radio Oxford in morning.

Even the sun came out. Banners looked great.

Thanks to all the organisation.

Brian Roberts, IWA Central Southern Region Chairman, adds:-

Walkers, cyclists, fishermen and even a diver ignored the thunderous rain at Goring today lunchtime. They were in support of a large passenger boat , two steam launches, cruisers, canoeists and a narrowboat tackled the swollen river to protest against the DEFRA cuts to the Environment Agency. Oarsmen had faced such an increasing stream that their eight arrived too late to hear the impassioned speech given by local waterway campaigner Chris Coburn O.B.E. and a message of support from the Chairman of the Goring Chamber of Commerce.

Ironically the weirs were fully open to avert possible flood risk . and it is expenditure on such weirs that is one of the categories of works which is being closely examined in response to the DEFRA cuts. More water was expected from the heavy upriver rains later in the day.

Local press were present in force and later reports will include photographs of the protesters on both land and water.