RESCUING Labradors and controlling the waterways is all in a day’s work for an Oxfordshire lock keeper who wants to see more women take on the role.

Katie Marshall is just one of two female resident lock keepers covering the River Thames and its tributaries.

Located at Benson, near Wallingford, the 37-year-old is calling for more women to sign up for a vacancy at Pinkhill Lock, near Farmoor.

She said: “There are only two resident female lock keepers and it is a very physical job.

“There are things I struggle with but being a woman it makes me want to knuckle down and do it even more.

“I just do not think many women picture themselves as a lock keeper – we need more women to join.

“It really is the most idyllic environment.”

While travelling on her narrowboat Professor Calculus nine years ago, Miss Marshall said she saw an opening for a summer assistant at the lock.

She said: “I never really knew what I was going to do in life.

“Then I saw this opportunity and just went for it.”

The GMB union has been fighting against Environment Agency plans to cut the number of lock keepers.

But as one lock keeper retires, the agency is on the hunt for someone new to cover the stretch running from Northmoor Lock to Abingdon Lock.

Miss Marshall, who has been in the position for almost two years, said her main responsibilities included managing water levels by operating the weirs to ensure there is a sufficient depth of water to allow boats to cruise safely.

During the boating season Miss Marshall helps boaters through the lock, operating the gates and sluices for boats to pass upstream or downstream.

She added: “In the summer we have a lot of charity events so the river is teeming with people.

“We’ve had students come down from Leicester on their home-made rafts and paddle boarders and swimmers. It’s good fun to see these different things.

“I had a dog fall in the river last year. They have these little dog life jackets with handles on them, so you pick them up like a handbag.

“I reached in and hauled this Labrador out of the water.”

Last October, lock keepers criticised as dangerous plans to take away their fire extinguishers and lock ladders so they did not put themselves at risk trying to save lives.

The Environment Agency said lock keepers were not trained to use fire extinguishers and because some safety ladders could be too heavy for lock keepers to lift, all of them should be thrown away.

No final decision on the proposals was taken at the time.