Llangollen Canal narrowboat is pulled clear after breach

The first of two narrowboats trapped in a hole after a breach on the Llangollen Canal near Whitchurch has been winched free; recovery of the second boat is ongoing and the Canal and River Trust estimates repairs could take about nine months.

A narrowboat has been pulled clear after being trapped in a hole on the Llangollen Canal near Whitchurch. The incident followed a large breach in the canal on 22 December that allowed water to flow into a nearby field. The Canal and River Trust said recovery work began this week and the first of two boats caught in the hole has been winched to safety while efforts continue on the second. Known details: - The breach was reported on 22 December near Whitchurch, Shropshire, and initially affected three boats. - One boat, Pacemaker, was pulled to safety earlier and refloated; the first of the two boats in the hole, Ganymede, has now been winched clear and the second, Sefton, was still being recovered at the time of the report. - The Canal and River Trust described the operation as carefully planned and said the investigation into the breach is expected to take several weeks. - The trust gave an early repair estimate of around nine months and suggested costs might exceed £3 million. Summary: The immediate impact has been the recovery of one boat and ongoing work to recover the remaining vessel, with the Canal and River Trust overseeing operations. Repair and investigation timelines are ongoing and the trust has provided an initial estimate of about nine months for repairs and potential costs above £3 million.