FREAK storms left a narrowboat owner high and dry after millions of gallons of water disappeared from Stourbridge Canal following a breach in its banks.

Alan Beattie who lives on his boat the Meggy, woke on Sunday September 7, to find he was stuck in the mud.

The 63 year old artist, originally from North Wales, who has lived on his boat for two years, noticed the water level change suddenly during the night.

Alan said: “At 11pm on Saturday night the water level rose suddenly and then just an hour later it dropped right down.

“It was quite a shock and a bit of a worry, it is the first time I have been marooned, it was lucky we were tied up.

“There is a first time for everything and at least we are marooned in a nice spot.

“The bottom of the boat needs painting which can be done so at least something good can come out of this.”

Alan had been visiting the area including the Bonded Warehouse, before he got stranded and looks likely to be stuck until the canal is finally refilled.

He hopes British Waterways will help him out of the sticky situation by building a dam to control the flow of water.

A 20 metre section of the bank gave way over the weekend along the Stourbridge canal from Middle Bridge to Wordsley Aqueduct, causing over two miles of the canal to be de-watered, The breach caused a total of 65 million litres of water to be lost, with most of the water escaping into the River Stour.

British Waterways is carrying out a full investigation into the breach, engineers are currently looking into the possibility of installing a temporary dam by Middle Bridge to enable the area to be re-watered.

A British Waterways spokesperson, said: “British Waterways have installed stop planks at Wordsley Junction, to enable a controlled re-watering of the Stourbridge Town Arm, this is currently taking place ad should be completed by the end of the week.

“British Waterways is currently in touch with boaters affected by this breach.

“The navigation and towpath are both currently closed between Stourton and Stourbridge locks and the breach section is anticipated to remain closed for a period of four months, this timescale may be revised.

“At present no cause for the beach has been identified.”

Customers requiring further information should contact British Waterways West Midlands on: 01827 252000.