The old Gentle Annie Bridge across the King River at Whitfield collapsed under rising flood waters on Saturday and a chunk of the new bridge and approach has been damaged.

The King River is now flowing across the bridge and more than 10 metres of the approach on the eastern side has been washed away.

Jim Newton from Newton’s Organic Prickleberry Farm on Gentle Annie Lane watched the old bridge collapse.

“I was standing there watching it with a few others and it just sank in the middle,” Mr Newton said.

“It collapsed in the middle and then the pressure of the water pushed it up against the new bridge and that’s when the approach got washed out.”

The main stream of the King River is now flowing through and across the damaged bridge.

Mr Newton has lived in the area for 72 of his 74 years and has seen the river flood higher on two previous occasions — the 1993 and 1998 floods.

“This is not quite as bad but very close to it, it’s staying up longer this year than other times because the ground is so full,” he said.

Gentle Annie Camping Reserve manager Graeme Butt escaped before the flooding hit but said a tenant who left on Saturday reported significant damage to a pump house and amenities block.

“We are anxious because it’s actually on crown land so it’s controlled by the Department of Sustainability and Environment,” Mr Butt said.

“It’s really their responsibility so how they’ll respond to repairing flood damage we’ll have to wait and see.”

Meanwhile, the Mountain View Hotel’s opening weekend has been a memorable one.

Manager Sally Simpson said they managed to feed more than 40 patrons on Saturday night but many had trouble getting home.

The SES last night said many roads around Cheshunt were blocked and would remain closed today.

Cheshunt General Store owner Rohan Van Jastelen said sand bags had protected the store and flood waters were receding.