FiVE things you need to know about keeping safe in floodwater.

After being swept with torrential rainfall, many of Britain’s rivers are well above their normal level.

There is still some fantastic fishing on offer, but safety is of paramount importance when tackling a flooded river.

Here are five things you need to know about keeping safe on the bank…

• Check online

Check the river levels to give you an indication of whether the water is rising or dropping, and help you anticipate fluctuating levels. The flood information site is very reliable and updated throughout the day. See www.flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk

• Use a marker

It’s easy to lose track of what the river’s doing through the day, but using a depth marker will alert you to any sudden changes. Some rivers have markers in place, but if you can’t see one a bankstick with strips of marker tape works well.

• sit well back

The last thing you want is to place yourself in a precarious position on the bank, so sit well back from the water’s edge.

• Take a rope

Steep and slippery banks can be a nightmare to get down, and up. Tie a strong rope to a nearby tree or peg it into the top of the bank to help you.

• Wear a lifejacket

Perhaps a little extreme, but a lifejacket can literally be a lifesaver if you do end up in the river.