Concerns raised 4 Lack of an effective Environment Agency notification system for critical river levels View source Unprotected towpath without railings View source Failure to close and lock the Dorset Street gate when river levels reach the threshold View source Dangerously high floodwater covering the towpath View source See 1 more concern
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
×
AI-generated summary
Daniel Lee HODGIN · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Daniel Lee HODGIN was found in the River Severn at Cressage on 31 December 2014, after last being seen alive on 23 November 2014. The inquest concluded that his death was accidental, with the medical cause recorded as immersion in water. Concerns included the failure to close and lock a gate leading to the flooded towpath and the lack of an effective system for notifying Shropshire Council about river levels requiring the gate to be secured.
Read the report on judiciary.uk
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Shropshire Council; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of an effective Environment Agency notification system for critical river levels
Wider context from the report “(1) According to a Shropshire Council plan of the Dorset Street area the gate at Dorset Street leading to the towpath should have been closed and locked when the water level at the Welsh Bridge gauge reached 1.95 meters.
(2) At between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the 23rd November 2014 when the deceased most likely entered the water, the level at the Welsh Bridge gauge was recorded at between 2.00 and 1.99 meters.
(3) Had the gate been closed and locked the deceased would have been unable to pass through.
(4) No clear system was established whereby the Environment Agency notified, or was required to notify, Shropshire Council as to the water level or likelihood of the water level reaching 1.95 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge . The Council’s instruction to close and lock the gate at Dorset Street was found to fail, there being no effective system in place to achieve the same.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Shropshire Council; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Unprotected towpath without railings
Wider context from the report “(6) The concerns raised here not only affect those adversely affected by alcohol but anyone who may be unfamiliar with the area when the river is in flood and is dangerously high covering the towpath. For completeness, and this does not directly concern the Environment Agency, there was a recent reported incident of a pram being blown into the River Severn where the towpath was unprotected by railings .
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Shropshire Council; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure to close and lock the Dorset Street gate when river levels reach the threshold
Wider context from the report “(1) According to a Shropshire Council plan of the Dorset Street area the gate at Dorset Street leading to the towpath should have been closed and locked when the water level at the Welsh Bridge gauge reached 1.95 meters .
(2) At between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the 23rd November 2014 when the deceased most likely entered the water, the level at the Welsh Bridge gauge was recorded at between 2.00 and 1.99 meters.
(3) Had the gate been closed and locked the deceased would have been unable to pass through.
(4) No clear system was established whereby the Environment Agency notified, or was required to notify, Shropshire Council as to the water level or likelihood of the water level reaching 1.95 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge. The Council’s instruction to close and lock the gate at Dorset Street was found to fail, there being no effective system in place to achieve the same .
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Shropshire Council; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Dangerously high floodwater covering the towpath
Wider context from the report “(6) The concerns raised here not only affect those adversely affected by alcohol but anyone who may be unfamiliar with the area when the river is in flood and is dangerously high covering the towpath . For completeness, and this does not directly concern the Environment Agency, there was a recent reported incident of a pram being blown into the River Severn where the towpath was unprotected by railings.
” Open source report
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Develop automatic river-level alerts using Environment Agency gauge data.
Verbatim wording from the response “The Environment Agency have, however, been looking at the relationship between river levels at their Montford Bridge river level gauge and the Welsh Bridge gauge. We have asked that they work to levels of 1.6 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge, to be on the cautious side. Their analysis indicates that when levels reach 2.78 meters at Montford Bridge, then the levels will exceed 1.6 meters at the Welsh Bridge within 4 to 8 hours. The Environment Agency is unable, at this time, to provide flood warnings for levels of 1.6 meters, but they do have regularly updated “river levels”, shown on their website. Shropshire Council have engaged the services of local software company to assist in taking the information from the website and generating automatic “alerts” when levels reach 2.78 meters at the Montford Bridge gauge.” Source location 2015-0146-Response-by-Shropshire-Council
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Add or improve barriers along the towpath where the existing provision is considered necessary.
Verbatim wording from the response “From concern numbered 6 from your Regulation 28 Report it is understood that consideration be given to additional barriers along the towpath. The area of particular concern, to both yourself and myself, is the length from the English Bridge down to the Weir. My concerns are raised further with the development of a University in the town, particularly as properties in the Castlefields area lend themselves to student accommodation. To this end I have requested a structural report on the integrity of the towpath facing wall. We have had a collapse in another part of town and have to undertake regular maintenance on this section of most concern. With that information we can determine what is possible or what needs to be done to make it possible. In the meantime we have reviewed the existing provision and added or improved barriers as felt necessary.” Source location 2015-0146-Response-by-Shropshire-Council
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Send SMS flood alerts to council, highways, police and emergency-planning contacts to support timely gate closure.
Verbatim wording from the response “At the time of this reply to the Regulation 28 Report this development work has not been completed. It is our intention to send a SMS (text) message to; the Central Highways Emergency Phone (operated 24 hours a day 365 days per year by a Highways Technician, who is familiar with all gate locations on the River Severn in Shrewsbury and the closure procedures), the Police Control Room, Shropshire Councils Emergency Planning Unit on call phone and the Shropshire Council Car Park Commissioner. It is believed that through this process the necessary people will get notification to ensure timely closure of the gates, before the towpath is likely to be submerged in flood waters.” Source location 2015-0146-Response-by-Shropshire-Council
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Additional towpath barriers cannot yet be determined pending structural assessment and engineering judgment about access, flood damage and maintenance impacts.
Verbatim wording from the response “From concern numbered 6 from your Regulation 28 Report it is understood that consideration be given to additional barriers along the towpath. The area of particular concern, to both yourself and myself, is the length from the English Bridge down to the Weir. My concerns are raised further with the development of a University in the town, particularly as properties in the Castlefields area lend themselves to student accommodation. To this end I have requested a structural report on the integrity of the towpath facing wall. We have had a collapse in another part of town and have to undertake regular maintenance on this section of most concern. With that information we can determine what is possible or what needs to be done to make it possible. In the meantime we have reviewed the existing provision and added or improved barriers as felt necessary.” Source location 2015-0146-Response-by-Shropshire-Council
Open published response
×
Source evidence
How this respondent position was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation The Environment Agency cannot currently provide flood warnings for Welsh Bridge levels of 1.6 metres.
Verbatim wording from the response “The Environment Agency have, however, been looking at the relationship between river levels at their Montford Bridge river level gauge and the Welsh Bridge gauge. We have asked that they work to levels of 1.6 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge, to be on the cautious side. Their analysis indicates that when levels reach 2.78 meters at Montford Bridge, then the levels will exceed 1.6 meters at the Welsh Bridge within 4 to 8 hours. The Environment Agency is unable, at this time, to provide flood warnings for levels of 1.6 meters, but they do have regularly updated “river levels”, shown on their website. Shropshire Council have engaged the services of local software company to assist in taking the information from the website and generating automatic “alerts” when levels reach 2.78 meters at the Montford Bridge gauge.” Source location 2015-0146-Response-by-Shropshire-Council
Open published response
Pin
Request correction
Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations