VITAL river patrols have been kept afloat.

Tendring Council is paying £11,000 for Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners to continue its river patrols, after Colchester Council cut the service from its budget.

The money will fund 300 hours of river patrols a year around Brightlingsea and the River Colne, but now more patrols will be focussed on Tendring.

Harbour master Bernie Hetherington said: “It is a happy conclusion.

“There was a concern about the effect of a lack of management on all sorts of wildlife on the river, as well as river users and swimmers off Point Clear beach.

“We are grateful to Tendring Council for its support and understanding of the need for this service.

“I hope it will continue to see the value of it and support it.”

The patrols help sailors in distress, check boats are driven safely and are not causing a nuisance to nearby residents, fishermen and wildlife. They have powers to prosecute people who flout the rules.

Harbour staff had feared there could be more accidents on the River Colne if the service was forced to fold.

Mr Hetherington added: “I would also hope Colchester can provide a more balanced river patrol next year.”

Nigel Brown, Tendring Council’s communications manager, said the council was delighted it had been able to help.

He said: “The Harbour Commission at Brightlingsea has been providing a boat patrol up the River Crouch towards Colchester, and out into Point Clear Bay, which comes under Tendring Council’s jurisdiction, for some years.

“If it did not continue we would have to look for alternatives ways of carrying out this work.”