Couple stranded on a canal for five days during their narrowboat holiday after a gate broke
A COUPLE have been stranded on a canal for five days because a gate broke. Tina Harding, 53, and hubby Mark, 59, were heading home on a narrowboat holiday when they tried to enter a lock. But a gearing mechanism fault jammed the gate — and their 62ft boat A Little Wobbly is too long […]
A COUPLE have been stranded on a canal for five days because a gate broke.
Tina Harding, 53, and hubby Mark, 59, were heading home on a narrowboat holiday when they tried to enter a lock.
But a gearing mechanism fault jammed the gate — and their 62ft boat A Little Wobbly is too long to turn around.
They have been stuck since Sunday – and celebrated their wedding anniversary outside Godmanchester Lock, Cambs.
Tina said: “It’s a shambles. We need to get home to St Neots which is about 20 minutes in the car and four hours on the boat. We celebrated our nine year wedding anniversary yesterday. It will definitely be one to remember.
“We can’t shower or wash clothes because we don’t know how long we’re going to be here and our water is running low.”
CAN’T SHOWER OR WASH CLOTHES
“We had to make the most of it, we had some cake, ate some dinner and just watched the world go by.
Their tiling business is also losing cash while they are stuck on the River Great Ouse.
She said: “Because we are self employed we can’t work. So we are loosing money as we speak.”
She said the Environment Agency gave them “excuse after excuse”. A spokesperson apologised and said contractors are working on a “bespoke drive shaft and replacement gearbox”.
Tina said: “They said they had to get a contractor out to put a tower up in order to start work.
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“But Tuesday came and we are waiting to move. Tuesday comes and goes – still sitting here, water is running low, toilet is filling up still sitting here.
“But now all of this time as passed, we don’t know what is happening. The Environment agency is over complicating everything.”
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Contractors are currently working on a bespoke drive shaft and a replacement gearbox, which will enable the gate to be operational and we hope to have this in place as soon as possible.
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