Drama on canal as boat falls

A narrowboat fell from a crane in South Staffordshire today, potentially causing thousands of pounds damage. A chain is believed to have snapped as the boat was being winched from the water to be restored at Industry Narrowboats on the A5 at Stretton near the Watling Street Aqueduct.nextpage

No-one was injured in the accident and the boatyard's owners said today they were still trying to assess the damage. A woman who was passing by at the time, but asked not to be named, said: "We had been walking along and noticed this 70ft narrowboat which was half-perched in the tree and half in the water. There were a few shocked faces and the canal was completely blocked by the boat, which was on a 45-degree angle out of the water."nextpage

The company, which restores narrowboats which used to transport goods and materials around the region's canals, has been owned by Keith Ball for around 15 years. The boat was being restored at the yard on the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, part of the Shropshire Union Canal network. Mr Ball was today unavailable for comment. His wife Christine said: "Nobody else was involved and nobody was hurt but we are too busy to be discussing this today."