Popular walking spot closed after storm damage

A popular walkway has been closed due to storm damage.

Guernsey Water said it had "no choice" but to shut the Millennium Walk around St Saviour's Reservoir after Storm Austen brought winds of up to 84mph (135 kph) last week.

The area will remain closed to the public while tree surgeons work to clear fallen trees and branches from paths and make the area safe.

Guernsey Water Customer services manager Tania Sargent urged people not to ignore the closure signs, adding: "We will re-open the walk just as soon as we can."

She said: "We know how popular the Millennium Walk is and we never want to close it unless we absolutely have to, but unfortunately the storm has left us with no choice.

"It's important to stress that the danger isn't limited to the trees and branches people can see lying across the paths.

"There are also branches still hanging above the route which could come down, and until tree surgeons have been able to deal with those, we simply can't say the walk is safe."

It comes after a red weather warning for wind was enforced across the Channel Islands last week, with high winds prompting schools to shut and flights to cancel.

Travel disruption continued into the weekend, with flooding and fallen trees forcing roads to close.

Sargent added there is currently a wait for tree surgeons to become available.

She said: "We're in the same position as everyone else who needs tree surgeons following a storm.

"In the meantime, please don't ignore the closure signs and we will re-open the walk just as soon as we can."

Guernsey Water is expected to provide further updates when it knows the Millennium Walk can safely reopen.

Follow BBC Guernsey on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].