Traffic restored after boat crashes into bridge

A narrowboat has been secured after it collided with a 19th-Century bridge on the River Thames, halting traffic on both the waterway and the road above.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency were called to Folly Bridge in Oxford at 16:55 GMT on Wednesday afternoon after a narrowboat had got stuck on a bridge stanchion.

One adult was rescued from the vessel.

The boat was left in situ when crews departed more than two hours later, with the owner looking to arrange its recovery on Thursday, the fire service said.

Oxfordshire County Council said there had been "major delays" during rush hour on Abingdon Road, one of the key routes in and out of the city centre from the south.

In an update posted on Thursday morning, the authority said the northbound carriageway on the bridge had fully reopened, with traffic returning to normal levels.

The Environment Agency said its officers would be returning on Thursday to help arrange the vessel's removal.

Passage under the bridge was also restored for other boats, having initially been affected by the blockage, the agency added.

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