A Burnham-On-Sea resident has described the moment he saw waves from what is believed to be a Severn Bore travelling up the River Parrett estuary on Friday.
Tony Edwards says: “I was walking back from the Yacht Club at 4.30pm on Friday afternoon and was just opposite the holiday park entrance when I heard an unusual noise along the beach.”
“I looked over the wall and then my attention was drawn to the river and I saw a bore travelling up the river.”
“I have lived in Burnham most of my life and on the seafront for 40 years and have never seen or even heard of a bore here.”
What is the Severn Bore?
Described as one of Britain’s “few truly spectacular natural phenomena”, the Severn Bore is a surge wave in the River Severn estuary.
It is formed when the rising tide moves into the funnel-shaped Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary.
The surging water then forces its way upstream in a series of waves. But the bore changes in different stretches of the river. In the lower and wider parts it is more noticeable in the deep channels as a slight roller, while the water creeps across the sand and mudflats.
Pictured: The bore passing Burnham on Friday (Tony Edwards / Theresa Brookes)