Canal water drained in attack by Wolverhampton vandals
A two-mile stretch of canal in Wolverhampton was closed today after it was drained by vandals.
Water levels along the Birmingham Old Main Line running past Wolverhampton Racecourse were severely low this morning.
Passers-by alerted the problem to the Canal & River Trust. The Wolverhampton Lock Flight, stretching two-miles, is temporarily closed to vessels.
Canal & River Trust spokeswoman Sarah Rudy said: "I spoke to the local team and the reason for the low water levels along the Wolverhampton Lock Flight on the Old Main Line Canal is due to vandalism.
"This section of canal has now been temporarily closed to boat traffic while we try and restore the water levels.
The canal team hopes to reopen it by tomorrow.
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Sandwell Council worker Las Johnson, aged 44, who lives in Dunstall, was out walking this morning when he came across the drained canal.
He said: "I go for a walk every day and I have noticed the water levels going down a bit lately but today it was majorly down. I knew something was wrong.
"As I looked along the whole canal, the water was right down. It's a shame for the wildlife and the birds really.
"I've never seen anything like this before. You can see all the debris on the bottom of the canal." He added: "I guess what these people have done is quite disruptive and spoils it for everyone else.
"I feel sorry for holidaymakers who are using the canal and have been put out by what has happened."
Canal & River Trust spokeswoman Sarah Rudy said: "This has been done deliberately. It looks as if they have opened up the pedals on the lock gate.
"The whole lock flight has been closed. We will have to pump water up from the bottom of the canal to the top. It will take all day."
Honeymooners Keith and Sarah Coley were on the Stourbridge Canal when their boat sank five feet after vandals attacked a nearby lock in September.
