THIS year's Easter tides are being forecast as the most likely to produce the best Severn bores of 2012.

They coincide exactly with the Easter weekend, the first major tides occurring on Good Friday and running through until Easter Monday. The highest tide is forecast for Easter Sunday evening.

Bore rider and Severn enthusiast Stuart Ballard says the weekend is certain to bring a lot of surfers to the estuary.

"There are not too many big tides this year but that does not mean there will be disappointing bores. The best bores are often achieved on tides under 10 metres. There is a lot of chatter on the net about riding the April bores," he said.

Tides of 9 metres and over produce bores and there are plenty in the run-up to Easter when the tides reach a maximum of 9.8m on Easter Day and Easter Monday.

But there are respectable tides in January, February and March. Depending on conditions they could give reasonable bores.

The following predictions are for Newnham. Add on an hour for Minsterworth. The times are all GMT. Add an hour for BST.

Jan 24: 0733 (9.1); Jan 25: 0813 (9.2); Jan 26: 0850 (9.0).

Feb 9: 0752 (9.1); 2017 (9.0); Feb 10: 0830 (9.3); 2053 (9.1); Feb 11: 0908 ((9.3); 2129 (9.0); Feb 12: 0944 ((9.0); Feb 23: 0753 ((9.2); Feb 24: 0827 (9.0).

March 9: 0732 (9.6); 1956 ((9.5); March 10: 0811 (9.8); 2033 (9.6); March 11: 0850 (9.8); 2110 ((9.5); March 12: 0928 (9.4).

April 6: 0625 (9.1); 1851 ((9.4); April 7: 0708 ((9.6); 1932 (9.7); April 8: 0750 (9.7); 2012 (9.8); April 9: 0831 (9.8); 2053 (9.6).