THREE Worcestershire companies have joined forces to find an ingenious solution to a problems caused during severe flooding at Upton-upon-Severn Marina.

The floods of 2000 pushed the river so high that the marina's floating pontoons and jetties rose to the top of steel piles around the basin.

As a result, the pontoons were more exposed to winds and strong currents, putting a huge strain on the piles, according to Walton Marine manager Stever Arber.

"We had to look at ways of keeping the pontoon structure intact and preventing it from drifting away," he explained.

The solution to secure the structure completely was ground anchors. Therefore, a system of deep ground piles has been sunk.

"When the floods come, we can hook up specially-made lengths of rope from the ground anchors to the pontoon system, so that it's held securely in position and can't blow or drift away," said Mr Arber.

The ring of new piles around the perimeter of the marina has been driven into the ground to a depth of 36 feet and filled with concrete.

English Braids, of Malvern, provided a kilometre of rope weighing nearly half a ton, and Starline Cruisers, of Upton-upon-Severn, did the steelwork necessary to attach it in a network, forming a giant cat's cradle.

"We welded extension pieces on to the existing piles and bolted on shackles to hold the ropes," said Ian Cundy, of Starline Cruisers.

"If the river rises in flood, we can quickly run round and clip the ropes to the shackles, forming a lattice of ropes between the original piles and the new ones on the bank."

Peter Neale, technical sales manager for English Braids, said the problem was so unusual that a rope had to be specially manufactured at the Malvern factory.

"We adapted a polyester rope designed for mooring yachts in heavy tidal conditions and altered the specifications slightly," he said.

"It had to have high strength, great durability in water and a lot of elasticity, besides being easy to handle.

"It needs to be used carefully, because the forces of the floodwater can be enormous."

The rope is divided into individual lengths, each spliced with an eye and designed for a specific location.