A BOY has been caught on camera swimming in the swirling waters of the flooded river Wye in Hereford.
Reporter Michael Eden spotted him jumping into the river from Greyfriars walkway.
He then swam under the Old Wye Bridge to the floodgate opposite Die Koffee Pot.
The river swept him under the bridge and out the other side.
People shouted at him to get out as he gave a thumbs up just before he went under the bridge.
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He later managed to climb out where he was met by officers from the Environment Agency, who had watched him swim down the river.
A boy jumped into the river from Greyfriars walkway. Picture: Michael Eden
People commented on a social media video (since withdrawn from public view) about how outraged they were that he could have put at risk the lives of those who may have needed to rescue him.
Some said he was an “idiot” and others said it could have ended very differently.
Hereford’s Old Bridge closed on Monday evening owing to high river levels as flooding continued.
He swam under the Old Wye Bridge to a flood gate on the other side. Picture: Michael Eden
The Wye peaked in Hereford overnight between 5.2 and 5.4 metres on Monday, short of the record height of 6.1 metres recorded in February 2020.
Superintendent Edd Williams, chairman of the tactical co-ordination group, a multi-agency group tasked with responding to local incidents, said at the time: “Herefordshire has seen river levels peak in some of its rivers, but we have yet to see the peak in Hereford at Belmont and Hereford Bridge, along with Mordiford and Ross-on-Wye.
“We have closed the Old Bridge in Hereford to traffic and pedestrians as we face rising river levels.”
The Old Wye Bridge closed Monday evening due to high river levels.
But it reopened on Tuesday morning (February 22).
“Authorities are continuing to monitor the river levels to take any action required and would ask all residents to take care when travelling and around floodwater,” said Mr Williams.
