Kept in good repair

REGARDING the article reported by Kelvin Alexander-Duggan, in which report, it is stated that Cicely Mary was 'in a poor state of repair', I counter that statement, writes Garry Watson.

Whilst Peter has found himself in hard times, he kept his boat in good repair. Other than requiring a little touch-up paintwork—ie a rub down, red oxide and work to cabin top, Cecily Mary was in fine order. And I mean fine order.

Know the boat well

I know the boat well, having taken instruction on boat handling from Peter. When I first took an interest in narrowboating, Peter volunteered his time and his boat to take me out without any recompense—this was as a matter of pride in helping a novice take to the water as a competent and considerate boater.

Having become friends with Peter and since enjoyed hospitality and helped pilot his boat on tidal waters, which I would not have volunteered to do with a boat in poor repair. Hence, I feel qualified to make a judgement as to the condition of Peter's boat. Cicely Mary was in good order up to the point it was attacked by thieves and torched.

Peter is a man with high standards, keeping his boat in military like sound order and meticulously kept below—clean and orderly.

Middle Level lied

I am sorely aware that Middle Level Commissioners are treating Peter with undue lack of consideration—have taken possession of Cecily Mary and now pursuing claims for compensation from Peter for lifting the boat out of the water and removing it by road to its own yard, making it difficult to impossible for Peter to salvage the boat himself—acting with undue haste to prevent that, despite knowing Peter had arrangements under way—and have, in fact, lied to the police, initially claiming the boat to have been derelict and abandoned.

Peter had merely left the boat for a few days to take one of his dogs for veterinary care. This does not in any way constitute abandonment.

Vilest act

Here is a man who has lost his home from the vilest acts of the most pitiful excuses for an human being.

There is a company seeking to take advantage of this man—a man in duress—and taking all hope of salvaging his home, making Middle Level Commissioners , in my eyes, little better than the perpetrators of those vile attacks on his home.

Narrowboatworld could and should be doing all it can to assist Peter to move forward and help in returning his boat to his care, which is so much more than a home to him.