WESTERN DAILY PRESS Friday, September 18, 2020
NEWS
Boat owner
homeless
after river
level drops
suddenly
A
man has described the pan-
icked moment he grabbed his
two dogs and laptop and
flung them to safety as his boat sank
in only 30 minutes on Tuesday night.
Water levels started dropping rap-
idly without warning after a sluice
gate failed near Lower Bristol Road
in the Twerton area of Bath at
around 6pm.
James Stuart-Wigley lost almost
everything after his boat got stuck in
the mud and sank after the water
disappeared.
Mr Stuart-Wigley, who is in his
40s, said: “I am in shock. I haven’t
slept and can’t believe it happened.
Everything I own was in that boat. It
is my home, it’s gone.
“I had just got back to the boat
when I noticed the ropes getting
tight.
“I thought that was weird as it’s
Everything I own was
in that boat. It is my
home, it’s gone
James Stuart-wigley
not really the season for floods or
anything.
“I tried to loosen them but I was
already stuck in the mud. It hap-
pened so fast. I then tried to reverse
with my engine but my propeller was
out of the water.
“The whole thing went down in
about 30 minutes. All I have got now
is what I am standing in.
“I just had time to grab my two
rescue dogs and my laptop and
chuck them onto land before it
went.”
Mr Stuart-Wigley, who works as a
fitness instructor and yoga teacher,
said he had been enjoying living in
his boat which he has owned for a
year.
The Canal and River Trust said the
“sudden and dramatic” drop of the
river meant it was impossible to give
warning to the boaters.
Mr Stuart-Wigley said: “There has
been no communication to me from
the Environment Agency or the
Canal and River Trust about when
help is coming to sort my boat.
“No one is taking responsibility
here. Thankfully the brilliant com-
 5
emma elgee
emma.elgee@reachplc.com
munity of boaters has stepped in to
help, offering me clothes, food, and
my friend has lent me their camper
van to sleep in tonight.
“I am effectively homeless now.
I’ve parked the camper close to my
boat as I want to be here to watch
over it. It has got everything in it.”
The Environment Agency has con-
firmed it is inspecting each boat and
the rescue operation is likely to take
“several days”.
It also says it has offered accom-
modation to people who have lost
their homes with facilities on site for
those who wish to stay near their
boats.
Mr Stuart-Wigley added that the
boat sinking had come at the worst
possible time because of the corona-
virus.
He said: “I was only really just get-
ting back on my feet. I lost a lot of
work during the lockdown as a fit-
ness instructor. I am basically self-
employed and still paying off the
money that I used to buy the boat in
the first place.”
The Canal and River Trust spokes-
man said: “We had four colleagues
out on site from 7pm working along-
side the emergency services to sup-
port boaters along the 2.5 miles
affected stretch. This has been a joint
effort between a number of parties
including the trust, Environment
Agency, B&NES, the emergency ser-
vices and Julian House [homeless
charity].
“We will also be working with spe-
cialist teams to help with re-floating
boats. This is in co-ordination with
the Environment Agency who will be
gradually, and safely, letting the
water back into the waterway. This
will not be able to happen until all
the boats have been individually
assessed.
“We appreciate that the situation
is extremely distressing for our boat-
ing customers and we are doing eve-
rything possible to support them.”
The Environment Agency said
accommodation has been offered to
those in need and that it is inspect-
ing each boat to see if it can be re-
floated, adding the situation was
“unprecedented”.
A spokesperson said: “The Envi-
ronment Agency and its partners is
leading on the incident in Bath
which saw a number of boats sink
when the river level suddenly
dropped on Tuesday.
“Staff have investigated to find out
what happened and it appears a fault
in the software which operates the
vertical sluice gate caused it to open
suddenly, causing the river level to
drop 1.8 metres.
“Partners will continue to support
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>>James Stuart-Wigley’s
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submerged; below, James
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Ian Withers, of the Environment — and is 100% free to
Agency, said: “This is very distressing play. Prizes start as a
to see so many people who rely on £20 Amazon voucher, and
their boats as their home to sudden- rolls over if there is no
ly become stricken and unable to winner until it reaches a
access their property. Fortunately, it maximum value of £500.
appears no one was harmed and the
hard work of righting this situation
has begun. Traffic updates
“An incident like this is unprece-
dented. But with the support of ‘InYourArea provides
B&NES, the Canal & River Trust and you with the latest up to
Avon & Somerset Police steps are date traffic and travel
being taken. news to point you away
“The first is welfare and accommo- from any snarls-ups on
dation, which has been offered to the road, trouble with
those in need of a place to stay, rail cancellations or
with facilities now on site for those when the next bus is
who have chosen to be near their due — all in REAL time.
property.
“We are holding the river
upstream while engineers contract-
ed by the Canal & River Trust begin
inspecting each boat to see if it will
float or if repair is needed first. While
this operation continues, it is obvi-
ously necessary for us to keep the
river upstream and it will likely take
several days.
“Once done, and everyone is satis-
fied no further damage will be
caused, the river will be released in a
safe and controlled manner.”