EMERGENCY services swarmed into Lower Lydbrook on Saturday evening after a sudden storm surge swept into a party of unsuspecting canoeists.

The 19 found themselves in grave danger, sparking a major and dramatic rescue effort.

Fire, ambulance and police officers joined the SARA rescue boats called to the stretch of river between Bishopswood and Lydbrook in a desperate attempt to save the party whose canoes were 'thrown about like corks' as the surge hit. The drama began around 6pm.

On a day that had already seen the river rise significantly, two men ran into the Courtfield Arms urgently seeking help.

"It all happened so fast," said Courtfield landlord Tom Moran. "They dashed in to get the emergency rescue under way – they had seen two of their fellow canoeists capsize in the river and they said that they hadn't resurfaced.

"The SARA boats were here really quickly, and then everything swung into action. It seemed that all the party had somehow been swamped or capsized. I had watched the river rising during the day, and it looked like it had come up a couple of metres. Then it seemed to go wild." Villagers gathered at the waterside as the torrent threatened to wash away canoeists clinging to branches or trying to swim to safety through a racing current. "Two of them went past Lydbrook in canoes that were completely full of water," said Mr Moran. "But when they decided to abandon the boats and swim for the bank they hit real problems as the current was so strong and fast it was almost impossible for them to make the bank."

Eventually they were helped out of the water by campers at the Welsh Bicknor youth hostel. Another canoeist who parted company with his boat near Bishopswood tried to swim to the south bank, but it took until he reached Lower Lydbrook – a distance of over a mile – before he could pull himself out.

SARA launched two of their rescue boats and began to collect canoeists from their precarious positions along the river. The SARA crews had earlier been exhibiting their boats and equipment at the Lydney Harbour Festival during the day. An eyewitness to the surge, security officer Steve Perks from Coleford, was travelling to work in Ross on Wye when he saw the river near Bishopswood Garage.

"It was unbelieveable. The river was tearing down, with branches and debris being tossed around like driftwood. It was tumbling and covered in foam." The emergency services used the Courtfield Arms as their base while the task of locating all the missing party, all from Newport, got under way.

An anxious time followed for those waiting for news of their friends and relatives, but at around 9pm, the rescuers announced that everyone had been accounted for, and the search was stood down. Most were unhurt but one canoeist had to be airlifted to hospital after the air ambulance landed in the field next to the Courtfield.

• The SARA teams were not the only organisation forced to make a hasty exit from Lydney Harbour Festival – Chepstow Coastguards were also at the event when they were asked by Swansea rescue control centre to investigate an object on a sandbank north of Lydney Harbour. It was later found to be part of a tree trunk.