A MISCHIEVOUS resident has highlighted persistent flooding problems in a busy road in Colchester... by paddling her kayak down the street.

Bryony Coles, who lives in a houseboat in Hythe, was curious to see whether she could pilot the kayak down the road at high tide.

So in the early hours of Friday, shee paddled down the river of flood water in the street.

Bryony, 30, posted pictures and videos of her exploits on Facebook.

Bryony Coles

Bryony Coles

She said: “I’d been curious if I could do it. So I chose a high tide point at early hours for the least inconvenience.

“I thought it would be a lighthearted way to highlight just how bad the flooding in Haven Road has got.

“If I can kayak down it, can all cars get through it and is it safely passable for pedestrians?

“It was nice to use the new water feature.”

Skills - Bryony Coles rode a kayak down Haven Road during high tide and (inset) Bryony after shaving her hair for charity

Skills - Bryony Coles rode a kayak down Haven Road during high tide

Bryony, an experienced kayaker, has written proposals featuring recreational ideas for the River Colne in a bid to boost its usage.

She urged residents not to recreate her exploits in the interests of safety.

“Please don’t be a donut and recreate this,” she said.

“Shout out to all the support from my friends, the public, the few vehicles who kindly stopped to let me do this and my partner Jordan for carrying Blue down with me at 3am.”

Here is a video of Bryony making her way slowly down Haven Road:

Haven Road has been flooding for decades, with high tide in the River Colne causing the road to be covered with inches of water.

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In response to recurring issues, Colchester MP Will Quince has formed a new Hythe Taskforce.

The group, including representative from Essex County Council, Colchester Council, Anglia Water and Essex University, is set to meet for the first time this Friday.

On Thursday, a doctor on call got stranded in the flooding after her vehicle was one of two cars to break down in the water.

Resident Dave Smith has written to the new Conservative-led administration of Colchester Council and ward councillors to demand something is done.

He said: “I now have to check the tide tables and avoid Haven Road 30 minutes before and an hour after high tide.

“A journey which should take ten minutes can take an hour.”