Took the wrong arch

ALL of us who have cruised the Avon know to keep to the marked navigation arch when passing under Bidford Bridge, but one boater thought better—and paid the price.

Ignoring the main arch he took his narrowboat, Cattybrook, a short-cut through another arch of the bridge and immediately came to a stop, Alan Tilbury tells us.

No depth

For other than the main channel the river is not dredged so there is no depth. But worse was to happen, for he was well and truly stuck, and had the ignominy of having to call the fire brigade to get his boat released.

So a fire and rescue crew together with the police attended, with the fire people dragging the boat back, and the boater quickly disappearing through the correct arch, away from the grinning crowd lining the bridge.