COLCHESTER Canoe Club has been forced to cancel its weekly club night for the first time in its 40 year history due to weed problems on the River Colne.

More than 40 members of the club, which was founded in 1980, usually take to the water each Wednesday for a trip down the river in Castle Park.

However, club bosses have been forced to temporarily halt the popular meet due to an increase in azolla and duck weed in the water.

The group has also had to cancel four Scout evenings where young members of the Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies and Beavers are introduced to canoeing.

Steve Waters is a founding member and trustee of Colchester Canoe Club and still coaches canoers.

“This is the worst I have ever seen the river, no doubt about it,” he said.

“As soon as you get in the water it is too thick and the paddle can get stuck and you could be pulled in. There is a good chance of a beginner being pulled in.

“We have had to do cancel the meets in the interests of safety but if you fell in you would come out looking like King Canute as well.”

Mr Waters believes the problem has got progressively worse year on year, particularly in the last five years.

“We have been close to cancelling before but we managed to make do,” he said.

“We had transferred the club meets to the Stour, but with the days getting shorter we do not have time to make it there and back before it gets dark.”

The river’s ongoing maintenance has become an issue of contention, with riparian owner Colchester Council and the Environment Agency both involved.

Colchester’s MP Will Quince has called for the council to step up its efforts to keep the river in a fit state.

Mr Waters said: “The council are looking to increase leisure usage of the river which is a great idea but they will have to sort out the management of it first.

“It is a Catch 22 situation where the council says it is not all their problem and the agency says it is partly down to the council.”

A spokesperson for Colchester Council said: “We are looking to arrange a meeting with the Environment Agency, as a matter of urgency, to discuss management of the river and the surface weed problem affecting sections of its course.”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “Due to the prolonged dry weather the region has been experiencing, we are seeing an increase of surface weed on a number of rivers.  

“In the case of the affected stretch of the River Colne, we are planning to meet Colchester Borough Council, the riparian owner, to offer advice and guidance on how they can manage this particular surface weed problem.”