Nature features

For centuries channels of the River Stour have meandered through pastures filled with wild flowers and birds.

Since medieval times the Sudbury Common Lands have hosted a rich ecosystem. All of which is conserved by the careful management of water levels.

But for two weeks the floodgates have been left open causing the river to dry out. Hugh Smith from the local angling association has been fishing in these waters for over fifty years.

" There is nothing left here whatsoever except a trickle of water running through. I mean usually you sit here and there will be a King Fisher here trying to catch fish but there is nothing left for them here. Further up the river there are up to fifty swans up there but they're walking around on concrete."

Sudbury's Mill Pond drying up

The environment agency has decided it's too dangerous for its staff to manage the gates. They'll either stay open and the area will dry out, or they'll be closed and the meadows could flood. The safety of the floodgates was called into question after a member of staff at The Environment agency broke their arm.

Adrian Walters is from the Sudbury Common Lands Charity

"There have been gates controlling water flows to the mill for a thousand years and now we find ourselves in a position where suddenly the water levels are not going to be control. It has massive implications on the ecology of the area."

Whilst we were recording, the Environment Agency called to say they were on there way to close the gates. But they'll now stay shut until a safety review is carried out. This could have further disastrous consequences.

"That is good news in the short term because it will bring the water levels back up but once it starts pouring with rain then we're going to need the gates managed and the gates opened because we don't want this under water."

Robin Drury, a resident said, "The point we need to make is Sudbury's relationship with the water meadows. They're a huge local asset, almost a global asset, you can't find water meadows like this that have been grazed for a thousand years, that have been managed to this degree."

Without management these ancient pastures will become a thing of the past - the future decisions of the Environment agency will have implications for tourism, the wildlife and local residents - but for some the animals and plants here the damage has already been done.