A flooded road that was used by kayakers and even a jet ski over the winter has finally cleared of water after being submerged for two months.

One businessman who lives in the village of Welney in Norfolk said he had faced an extra 40 miles on his commute while the A1101 Welney Wash Road was under water.

Eastern Daily Press: Some villagers have been faced with an extra 40 miles on their commute while the Welney Wash Road was under waterSome villagers have been faced with an extra 40 miles on their commute while the Welney Wash Road was under water (Image: PA)

Sports equipment company boss John Loveday has lived in the village all his life and his offices are five miles away in Littleport, Cambridgeshire.

But the 65-year-old said he had a 25-mile detour while the road was closed, upping his commute from 10 miles per day to 50.

Eastern Daily Press: The A1101 at Welney is passible again after two months under waterThe A1101 at Welney is passible again after two months under water (Image: PA)

"It puts an hour a day on your time," he said. "We've now decided that we're probably going to build offices at our factory at Welney and vacate the ones we have because of the disruption."

He said the road had always flooded in winter, but some years it could only be for a week. It flooded in December 2020, and cars were pictured using it again on Thursday after water levels finally dropped.

Eastern Daily Press: Cars drive along the A1101 in Welney, Norfolk, where the flooded road has finally cleared of water after two months submergedCars drive along the A1101 in Welney, Norfolk, where the flooded road has finally cleared of water after two months submerged (Image: PA)

Welney was an "agricultural community" in the 1960s, Mr Loveday said, and there used to be less impact when the road was closed.

"We were self-contained then," he said. "Obviously people commute to London all over now so it's totally different, but in the 50s and 60s the water would be on the road and it wouldn't really affect anybody because people didn't go out of the village so much."

Eastern Daily Press: The approach to the bridge over the Delph has emerged from the floodwatersThe approach to the bridge over the Delph has emerged from the floodwaters (Image: PA)


Roger Giles, 82, vice chair of Welney Parish Council, said when the road closed "it does cost people". But he added: "You get both sides of it - you get the wonderful wildlife."

The Ouse Washes act as the floodplains of the River Great Ouse at times of high rainfall and are a wetland habitat for many birds.

Mr Giles said there were "always a few, daft as brushes" who attempted to drive on the road while it was flooded.