Narrowboat rescued from Kennet and Avon Canal

The Canal & River Trust says it’s business as usual now that the canal boat has been lifted and refloated. The canal is open again now at Widcombe.

The stretch of the Kennet and Avon Canal at Widcombe will reopen at 10am tomorrow (Friday 21 March) after a crane successfully removed the capsized narrowboat from Lock 11 this afternoon.

Read more: Capsized narrowboat rescued from Kennet and Avon Canal

Workers from The Canal & River Trust are supervising the process of attaching a 30 metre winch to the narrowboat stuck in a lock on the Kennet and Avon canal near Bath.

Attempts will be made today to move the narrowboat that has been blocking the Kennet and Avon Canal near Widcombe in Bath since Saturday.

Lock 11 has been closed since the barge capsized. The Canal and River Trust say a crane will begin work this morning. Three million litres of water will need to be drained.

The Canal and River Trust says it may have to drain three million litres of water from the Kennet and Avon after a narrowboat capsized.

The way the boat has fallen on to its side means it is difficult to crane out of Lock Eleven.

So the pound beneath the lock must be drained - which is the longest pound in the Bath flight of locks.

And draining the canal means the wildlife needs to be rescued first too. A specialist will be brought in to stun fish and save them before the water is pumped out.

The narrowboat that has capsized in the Kennet and Avon canal was being hired by a stag party from Wales at the time. The Canal and River Trust say it will be moved by crane this coming week.

See more pictures of the barge on the ITV News Westcountry website

The Kennet and Avon Canal is blocked today due to a capsized barge in Lock 11, near Widcombe, Bath. ITV News understands the canal will remain closed until well into next week, as a crane operation is required to move the barge.

We will have more on this story on ITV News West Country tonight at 6:35pm.