Abandoned 60ft barge found drifting down a river

A 60ft (18m) drifting barge has been made safe by members of the public after it travelled, without a crew, for more than four miles (7km) down the River Witham in Lincolnshire.

Eyewitnesses said the abandoned vessel began its journey at Langrick on Sunday after its mooring ropes became detached from the bank.

John Aston, a local boat owner, said stopping the "substantial vessel" was challenging. "It took between eight and 10 people to bring it under control and it was picking up speed near to Boston," he said.

Mr Aston said the actions of the group averted "serious damage" to a set of lock gates outside the town.

Kat Rushby, a boater on the river, said she had contacted The Canal and River Trust and the fire service to raise her concerns about the potential damage the vessel could do.

"If it had been left to reach the lock, many of the boats along there are fibreglass and would have been damaged possibly beyond repair."

Stephen Hardy from the Canal and River Trust said they had traced the owner and he was "on his way with some ropes" to secure the vessel properly.

"It sounds quite dramatic and thankfully no one was hurt. Thankfully, at this time of year the river is a lot quieter than it would be during the warmer months," he said.

Mr Aston said the vessel had been unoccupied at its moorings at Langrick "for some weeks".

"I think the real owner is in Australia. There's someone looking after the boat for him," he said.

Mr Hardy said he did not know how the vessel became untied, but he understood the owner was going to remove the vessel from the area.

"He's going to take it elsewhere, off our network," he said.

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