Low water levels mean fresh closure for locks

The Canal and River Trust has warned it is likely Foxton Locks will need to close again due to low water levels.

The locks, in Leicestershire, were closed temporarily on 29 July due to low rainfall, leaving some boats stuck in the bottom lock.

They were reopened on Monday to allow boaters to get where they need to before winter.

The trust said they will stay open next to "allow enough time for people to get home" but low water levels remained a problem.

Aaron Atwal, boating manager at the trust, said: "We are open as long as we can stay open, I think that's the key message here.

"There will come a time when we'll have to close because we've not had enough rain and our reservoirs are empty."

He added that in terms of the long-term picture "specialist teams are looking into it and looking at our reservoir holdings and what we can do next year to try and ensure that we've got full capacity".

The closure had left many stranded boaters worried about getting out before Christmas.

Rebecca Howard, 27, was among those looking to move her boat when the locks reopened on Monday.

She told the BBC she had decided to put it up for sale but had not been able to "because it's stuck down here".

Xavier Sargenti, 25 was trying to get back to Mancetter in Warwickshire via the Coventry Canal.

He said "For three months I've been paying two moorings because I'd paid upfront in Mancetter and you can't really give that mooring up.

"So I'd paid six months there and to be stuck here means it's been an additional cost."

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