Trees tumbled into the River Stour after a section of riverbank gave way near Iford Playing Fields in Christchurch late last month.
The Bournemouth Echo reported the embankment failure on June 4, 2025, with journalist E. Rhodes confirming that trees had collapsed into the water. Local authorities moved quickly to fence off the affected stretch along the riverside.
The collapse adds to a growing list of erosion incidents along the lower Stour, a river with a documented history of bank instability and severe flooding.
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The Site: A Community Hub on Shaky Ground
Iford Playing Fields sits on Iford Lane in Southbourne, straddling the border between Bournemouth and Christchurch. The River Stour runs along its eastern edge before flowing into Christchurch Harbour.
BCP Council manages the site, which holds protected status under Fields in Trust.
Who uses Iford Playing Fields:
- East Dorset Dockers RFC — Home ground for more than 35 years, with two pitches and a clubhouse
- Bournemouth BMX Club — The only BMX racetrack in Dorset, established 1982, hosting British Cycling regional and national events
- 32nd Bournemouth Scout Group — Scout hut on site, also home to a children’s day nursery
- Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets — Boat houses line the riverside
The fields also form part of the 64 mile Stour Valley Way, a walking route running from Hengistbury Head to Stourhead in Wiltshire.
BCP Council has previously flagged drainage problems at the site. A lower pitch near Iford Lane was taken out of use because the ground could not drain properly. The council is allowing that section to return to meadow.
The River Stour: A History of Flooding and Erosion
The name Stour comes from Old English, meaning “violent” or “fierce.”
Recent years have shown why.
Recorded flooding at Iford Bridge:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| December 2013 | River reached 3.81m, the highest level on record. Around 100 residents evacuated at Christchurch |
| November 2024 | Storm Bert flooding. Twelve people and four dogs rescued from Iford Bridge Home Park |
| January 2025 | Storm Eowyn brought further flooding to the same area |
Erosion along the Stour is not limited to Iford. Upstream at Sturminster Newton, Dorset Council spent months in 2023 stabilising a riverbank that had begun slipping toward the A357 road. Engineers drilled 327 soil nails into the ground to anchor the bank to bedrock.
Dorset Life magazine has noted that the Stour “needed diverting at Sheepwash, upstream from Iford Bridge, when it began to threaten Castle Lane by eroding along the outer concave side of its meander.”
Council Response and What Happens Next
BCP Council has not yet issued a statement specific to the Iford Playing Fields riverbank collapse.
Cllr Andy Hadley, Cabinet Member for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, led the council’s flood response during Storm Bert in November 2024. At that time, Hadley said the council was “working closely with the Environment Agency, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, and Dorset Police” to assist affected communities.
The Stour Valley Partnership, a collaboration between BCP Council, Dorset Council, the National Trust, RSPB and Dorset Wildlife Trust, has been working on long term plans to improve the river corridor. Their projects focus on flood resilience and connecting green spaces along the Stour.
For Visitors
Anyone heading to Iford Playing Fields should stick to marked paths and respect any fencing around the collapsed section. Ground near the river edge may remain unstable.
Check BCP Council’s website or social media for updates before visiting.
Contact for Iford Playing Fields enquiries:
BCP Council Parks Team
Email: parks@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
Bank erosion along the River Stour has claimed another stretch of ground at Iford. With multiple floods hitting the area in the past 18 months alone, the question now is whether this latest collapse prompts a broader look at riverbank stability across the lower Stour.
