THE owner of a narrowboat was seen purposely setting what is assumed is his boat alight whilst moored East of Chester on the Shropshire Union Canal.
A passer-by was walking past at night time and saw the man piling materials in a heap in the galley of the narrowboat, then stood and watched him purposely set it alight, move around 'knowingly' collecting items then come out of the boat to allow it to burn.
Accosted the 'owner'
A passer by, Henry Nightingale, witnessing the act accosted the owner who told him to 'mind your own business and f... off', and not wanting to be involved did so, but called the emergency people.
But the boat was nowhere near any access, preventing anyone from quickly getting to what was then a blaze, and when they arrived the boat was burnt-out and the man, who was assumed to be the owner, nowhere to be seen.
The report gives the impression that this was to do with insurance, as no one has reported a missing boat. There are no distinguishing marks left on the narrowboat to allow any recognition of either the boat or the assumed owner, only that it is 52ft long.