HIGH waters on our two major rivers again brought flooding.

The Severn broke its banks at Minsterworth and Newnham on Friday while traffic was briefly halted in Tintern on Friday and Saturday morning ahead of predicted flooding from the Wye.

The Friday morning tide at Chepstow was so high that for the first time in many year the Union Jack painted on the cliff at Tutshill was covered by water.

Mr John Burrows, who is researching tide levels, said the water reached a depth of 50ft 6in measured from the centre of the old Wye Bridge.

He said: "For the first time in most people's memory the flag on the rocks next to the Gloucester Hole above the River Wye at Chepstow was completely submerged by the tide.

Mr Burrows uses a tape measure and line to record the surface water height and compares it with a base measurement that was taken in still conditions when the tide was very low.

Parts of the A48 in the Forest were closed by flood water for a time on Friday and the water in the canal at Lydney docks was lapping at the bottom of the bridges across it.