WHERE once there was an island, people now walk along the harbourside at Lydney and enjoy the view across the Severn Estuary.

But could the rising waters return to reclaim the shoreline and turn part of the town and foreshore back into an island again?

That's the latest thinking of leading academic, Keith Walker, who explores the possibility in the latest edition of 'The New Regard' that rising tides along the Severn could deluge the town, returning it to what was once called 'The Sailor's Island'.

Originally the definition of the name Lydney was derived from a ninth century name 'Lidenegth' meaning 'the Sailor's Island or water meadow.' It is possible to suggest that the tidal waters of the Severn could have completely surrounded historic Lydney at one time.

With global warming and taking into account the dynamics of the tidal estuary which has one of the highest tiday systems in the world, could the town be inundated again inside the next 20 or 30 years?

Historically spring high tides in the 'Medieval warm period' were up to 11 metres and much higher than the current spring tides.

Looking at the shoreline it is possible, based on Severn Estuary tidal ranges, that rising estuary waters could one day resurge and flood the harbour and surround the town.