Not 'Better by Water'

I'M AFRAID that your columnist Victor Swift made an omission from his excellent article concerning 'Better by Water', writes Jeffrey Walker.

Though he did indeed show the stupidity of the phrase purloined by the Canal & River Trust, he outlining the disastrous effects of the floods and drowning suffered by so many people 'by water', he omitted to include the failure of the reservoir at Whaley Bridge that resulted in so many families being removed from their homes, that certainly verified the foolishness of that ill-advised 'Better by Water' campaign, as it was not better by water for them.

I have a particular interest, as my ten year old son was knocked into the Regent's Canal by a furiously peddling cyclist on its narrow towpath, but luckily had assistance in being retrieved by passing people.  It had a lasting effect however, he refusing to use that towpath again, showing quite clearly that it was certainly not 'Better by Water', as neither is it for the many others that have come to grief on the London towpaths.