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A significant incident on the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire left numerous residents trapped over the Christmas period after a large breach appeared in the waterway. What was initially assumed to be a sinkhole was later identified by engineers as a collapsed embankment near Whitchurch, which resulted in water draining from the canal. The collapse caused two boats to fall into a deep trench while others remained stranded on the dry canal bed, halting passage along the canal. This disruption impacted many liveaboard residents—people who reside on narrowboats full time—leaving them isolated either on the Llangollen side or on the Shropshire Union Canal side of the break.
Among those affected are Geoff and Pamela Poole, who lived just three boats away from the site of the breach. The couple, originally from the United States, were abruptly awakened early Monday morning by neighbours alerting them to the damage. Mrs Poole described the scene saying, “The whole boat was listing and everything had fallen,” recalling how she saw the Christmas tree knocked over with ornaments shattered. Having only lived on their boat for two and a half months after retiring and moving from the US, the couple had been making plans for the winter aboard their vessel. Mr Poole expressed disappointment, saying, “That’s the end of our plans for the winter.”
With their boat no longer safe to stay on, the Pooles faced the prospect of spending Christmas in a hotel, despite being able to visit family nearby. “[It’s] totally disruptive – four days in a hotel, and then we’ll see what we’re going to do,” Mr Poole said. Packing their essential belongings into bags, they prepared to leave behind their carefully decorated home on the water. Mrs Poole shared her worries about the unknown timeline for repairs, fearing they might be displaced for months based on previous incidents. “You have these big dreams of our first Christmas on the boat,” she said quietly. “We’ll have next year.”
Phil Johnson, another liveaboard impacted by the canal breach, had planned to return home to East Yorkshire but altered his plans due to the circumstances. Since all his possessions are on the boat, he is reluctant to leave it unattended. Thanks to support from friends, he was able to secure temporary accommodation and planned to spend Christmas Day with companions in Whitchurch. Reflecting on community spirit, he commented, “The boating community, any disaster like this, everybody’s helping each other.” In response to the crisis, Norbury Wharf offered its boats free of charge for emergency accommodation. The Canal and River Trust confirmed that the cause of the embankment collapse remains unknown and that they are focused on ensuring safety and support for affected boaters. The authority emphasized that their historic canal structures undergo regular inspections to maintain safety but could not yet determine how the damage occurred. No injuries were reported, and emergency services helped about 15 people to safety during the event
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