Yobs destroy canal boat

A canal boat lovingly-restored by a canal boss has been destroyed by arsonists. John Lund spent a year renovating the £50,000 narrow boat - named Dizzy - so it could be rented out to friends and family. The 55ft barge was moored in a dock joining the Ashton canal next to Snipe Retail Park, in Audenshaw, Tameside. Police believe that a person or gang broke into the dock area and tried to get inside the vessel before setting it alight. Mr Lund was quickly at the site after hearing about the blaze and was heartbroken to discover the badly-damaged boat submerged. The blaze destroyed the boat's roof and the intense heat had warped its steel hull making it virtually impossible to repair. Mr Lund, 46, who runs Saddleworth Canal Cruises, in Uppermill, near Oldham, with wife Susan, had used the barge as a hire boat for friends and family. Although the boat was insured, Mr Lund said he was devastated because it had huge emotional value as his late father had also helped with its restoration. The father-of-two, who lives in Springhead, Saddleworth, said: "It was used by people from all over the world. "People from Scotland, Australia, and South Africa have used it to explore the area. "The canals have been key in helping regenerate the area. "When I first got the boat five years ago it was not in a great state. I spent a long time bringing it back to its former glory. My dad helped and all the work he put into it has gone. "I just can't believe it's happened. It's completely gutting to see it like this." Emergency crews had initially feared that a person was trapped on board after the blaze was reported but quickly established that no-one had been hurt. A police spokesman said that investigations into the cause of the blaze were continuing. The Ashton canal was built in the late 18th century by local mine owners and runs from Ashton under Lyne to Manchester. Canal traffic ceased in the 1930s and by 1958 it was unnavigable. But after pressure from residents and environment groups, a major clean-up campaign by volunteers led to it being reopened in 1974. Tameside Advertiser

The scum responsible for this need a good whipping if caught!

TC