Chippenham river levels high as flood warning issued

Water levels on the River Avon at Chippenham rocketed after heavy rainfall throughout the morning of Wednesday, January 3.

The river rose particularly high near the sluice gate and the Gladstone Road bridge, where Storm Henk appears to have damaged several trees.

A flood warning remains in place for the River Avon between Chippenham and Melksham and water levels are expected to remain high.

Flooding is expected to hit low lying land, particularly around properties at Reybridge, and residents have been urged to “act now.”

The River Avon from Gladstone Bridge (Image: Newsquest)

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People are advised to put any flood plans into action, avoid travelling through flood water, and be aware of their surroundings.

The county is braced for further heavy rain, with a yellow weather warning issued for noon on Thursday, January 4, until 3am the following day.

Despite predictions of more rain from Thursday, some relief for the town was predicted for the remainder of Wednesday.

At the time of writing, conditions in Chippenham were forecast to be largely dry and cloudy throughout the afternoon, with some light rain expected to fall between 5pm and 6pm.