waterways news

Council and canal trust unite to restore historic waterway

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Web Editor

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July 30, 2026

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust (WBCT) and Swindon Borough Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) confirming their commitment to work together to progress restoration of the canal. The agreement sets out how both organisations will work together, with the trust aiming to deliver a blue/green canal corridor between Swindon and Royal Wootton…
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River Canal Rescue: Membership misconceptions

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Web Editor

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July 20, 2026

Last year, River Canal Rescue responded to 123 major incidents – emergency situations involving mainly grounded boats – and 2057 general call-outs (minor incidents) – for electrical, fuel and engine issues, flat batteries, over-heating and gear box failures etc. That’s over 40 call-outs a week. While the majority of call-outs were covered by RCR’s membership…
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Chip pan fire on the Grand Union

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Web Editor

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July 14, 2026

River Canal Rescue was recently called out to the Grand Union canal, Wolverton area, to raise what was left of a narrowboat, following a chip pan fire. During the re-float, a witness to the incident told RCR engineers he went to help the owner, who was unhurt. No pets were onboard. RCR managing director, Stephanie…
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Tree strike at Wolseley Bridge

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Web Editor

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July 4, 2026

On Saturday 27 June, River Canal Rescue engineer, Jake Mullen, was called to bridge 70 (Wolseley Bridge, near Rugeley, Stafford) on the Trent & Mersey Canal, after an oak tree crashed onto nb Marcellus. The tree had fallen from the opposite side of the towpath, landing on the boat, causing major damage and blocking the…
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Milton Keynes clean-up collects seven tonnes of rubbish

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Web Editor

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June 15, 2026

THE IWA’s Milton Keynes branch held its annual Canal Clean-up across the 10-mile stretch through Milton Keynes from Fenny Stratford to Cosgrove on April 10/11. The usual mix of discarded items were found, including several supermarket trolleys, six tyres, four electric hire scooters, three bicycles, an outboard motor, a plastic barrel, a motor bike frame,…
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Biggest boat clean-up in a decade underway on Upper Thames

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Mark Lancaster

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June 13, 2026

‘Sunk, wrecked, abandoned – they’ve got to go,’ says Environment Agency as Thames boat crackdown continues “Sunk, wrecked, abandoned – they’ve got to go.” That is the message from the Environment Agency’s deputy director of navigation as 53 boats have already been removed in an ongoing crackdown on the non-tidal Thames. The agency is on…
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River rights recognised in growing grassroots movement

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Web Editor

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June 9, 2026

Two more local authorities have formally recognised the rights of rivers in their areas to live, thrive and evolve. COUNCILS in Hampshire and East Sussex are among the latest to commit to considering the health and legal rights of rivers and streams in future decision-making. As reported, the growing Rights of Rivers movement in the…
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BREACH at Whitchurch on the Llangollen Canal: what we know so far

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Web Editor

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December 23, 2025

A major embankment failure on the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch has led to the closure of a key section of the waterway while emergency services and engineers assess the damage and plan repairs. The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday 22 December 2025, close to New Mills Lift Bridge, and resulted in a…
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CROCODILE ON THE CUT not all it seemed

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Web Editor

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December 22, 2025

A POLICE appeal to find a crocodile dumped in a canal caused a storm on social media – and the mystery was soon solved. The Derbyshire Rural Crime Team first posted on Facebook: “We know this is probably the strangest appeal ever to grace our Facebook page; however, we are appealing for your help in…
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