Death could have been over mooring rights

THE death of a boater on the Lancaster Canal as reported in narrowboatworld yesterday (Thursday) could have been about mooring rights.

It was on Wednesday that the emergency services were called to the Lancaster Canal at Garstang finding a man collapsed on his narrowboat. Though there were desperate attempts to revive him, it was in vain, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The towpath was sealed off at dawn on Thursday, with police officers questioning moored boaters and searching the area.

A 72 years old man was arrested close to the scene, and taken to Lancaster Police Station for questioning.

A boater has put forward the suggestion that the killing was about the mooring rights of the boats, which escalated.

The moorings are near the Th'Owd Tithe Barn pub, with the incident occurring just before 10pm in the evening.

Lancashire Police Incident Manager Insp Kevin Upton related:

"The call was received from a male on the towpath of the Lancaster Canal at Garstang and officers attended, as did the Lancashire Ambulance Service. On arrival of the police officers, the ambulance service was working on a male found collapsed on a 'barge' on the canal. Despite the efforts of the ambulance service, unfortunately the male was pronounced dead at the scene.

He told that a male offender was arrested very quickly nearby, and is currently detained at Lancaster Police Station, but details of either the offender or the deceased have not been released.