Owner asleep on boat was not aware it was sinking!

THE owner of a narrowboat that was sinking in the Oxford Canal was still asleep when his dog barked and alerted neighbours.

Slowly sank on to the silt

It was 4am when he was then helped onto the towpath from his boat that had been listing in the water, and it then eventually sank on to the silt, David Potter reports.

Neighbouring boaters at Banbury were concerned about elderly 'Steve' whose boat had been listing for days yet had been living in it unconcerned.

It was the dog that had escaped from the boat when the water came in and was running up and down the towpath that alerted the other boaters who went to help Steve on to the towpath.  (Photograph by David Potter.)

Attempted to warn him

Many of the boaters had attempted to warn him when they saw the boat was listing as it was obviously taking in water and was dangerous, but he did not seem to be bothered, telling them he realised it was listing and turned them away.

It is not known what has happened to Steve only that he is being taken care of.