Fell in lock after boat on cill

A NARROWBOAT going down Northgate Staircase on the Shropshire Union Canal in Chester caught on the cill and toppled over.

It seems the people letting water out of the lock were either not aware of what was happening or did not realise about closing paddles, as the boat continued to tilt, and a woman fell off into the water, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Not aware of cill

As the water continued to be released from the lock, the bow went further and further down until the boat became unstable and rolled over in the broad lock, with the woman being thrown from the deck into the water.

The woman though dazed was able to climb onto the cill from where she was rescued by members of the Cheshire Fire Service and its specialist water firefighters team and a rescue line, with the narrowboat turned back upright.

Climb out

Another member of the crew was able to climb out of the lock.

The boat was then re-floated, and taken to Taylor's Boat Yard where the skeg and rudder were repaired.