Keen fisherman Frank Whittaker hadn’t far to go for his latest fishing expedition.
A few strides from home he cast his rod out into the new river suddenly flowing down the road past his front garden.
Frank who is retired was inspired to have a bit of fun when he read that a woman had seen a fish swimming through the extensive flood water at Hogmoor Lane, Hurst.
“It amazed me when I read that as the nearest stream often dries almost completely up. But it just occurred to me to have some fun with it.”
Frank, who is a Twyford Fishing Club member, waded out into the middle of the road in his wellies to try his luck for a spot of fishing – and a photo taken by his wife Sheila.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have any bites. He has better luck usually in the Rivers Loddon and Thames and also at Whistley Mill Lane, Hurst.
He said the flooding after the rain deluge last week was the worst he had known in 25 years, adding: “The river was flowing down the road at three or four miles an hour. Further down it was nearly a metre deep.”
Also near his home a vehicle went off the road and became stuck with two wheels in a ditch. Frank said the driver managed to escape from the van and wade off to get help. A tractor later pulled the vehicle out.
A local weather recorder doing the maths of the recent deluge of rain says 55.8mm (two and a quarter inches) of rain fell in 48 hours.
That was rain from midday last Thursday until noon on Saturday – causing huge flooding and disruption in Wokingham area.
The recorder’s readings, taken in Hurst, showed that the total was more than a third of the March rainfall which was 132mm. Last March’s rainfall was 48mm.
Since 1985 the three wettest March months have been 2001 (105.5mm), 2018 (103mm) and now 2023 (132mm). In those 39 years the March totals have varied enormously. The lowest was 2003 with just 6 mm.
The recorder, who did not want their name published, said: “On Monday this week the BBC national radio weatherman said that for last month, March, Reading had three and a half times its average rainfall for the month.
“I have added up the March totals for the 39 years from 1985 to 2023 [in Hurst], 1791mm divided by 39 = 45.923mm so [the BBC weatherman’s figure is] not far off for Hurst if you multiply that by three.”
