'Menace' vandal releases 200-tonne boat mooring

The vandal who removed the mooring line was captured on CCTV

A "menace" vandal has been caught on CCTV releasing a 200-tonne boat from its mooring in the early hours of the morning, endangering people living at the harbour.

The captain of a research vessel in Bristol Harbour has warned of a "stupid prowler" targeting boats moored boats - cutting power cables and releasing bowlines.

Surveillance from The Lady Kate, docked near the Lloyd's Amphitheatre, shows a man untying the rope at around 03:00 BST on 9 September and allowing the boat to drift.

Captain Paul Manning said the culprit could have caused expensive damage, and risked injuring others or sinking vessels which people live on.

Mr Manning said the unmoored boat could easily have sunk other boats

Mr Manning said he awoke in the early hours of the morning and peered out of his cabin window to see his friend had moved their boat.

"Then I realised it wasn't him that had moved, it was me," he told the BBC.

"Fortunately it was a cool morning with slow winds, so we were just drifting slowly.

"If that had happened the following day, it would have been armageddon. She's 200 tonnes.

"She would have bounced down [the harbour] causing all kind of mayhem. These are people's homes and they can cause a lot of damage."

The culprit was captured on CCTV from the boat's wheelhouse

The Lady Kate was originally a steel fishing trawler built in the 1970s, later converted into a 24m (80ft) long research vessel in the 80s.

Mr Manning said having lines which can easily be slipped off is crucial in an emergency, but since the incident, he has been forced to put a chain and lock on the forward bow line.

"That creates a second problem - if we need to slip the lines quickly, we can't," he said. "This particular person is a menace."

Mr Manning added there have been a number of similar incidents in recent weeks, though it remains unclear whether the same individual is responsible.

The Lady Kate is an 80ft long research vessel which was converted from a fishing trawler

Councillor Andrew Brown, chair of the city council's harbour committee, said: "We're aware of the incident which has been reported to the police.

"We believe this is an isolated incident, however, actions such as these are dangerous and can lead to vessel damage and risk the safety of boaters and people using the harbour.

"Patrols are carried out along the harbour and quayside, and where vessel ropes are identified as requiring adjustment to ensure they are moored securely, officers will make the owners aware and offer advice.

"If anyone has concerns about behaviour they have seen around the harbour moorings, please report this to the harbour office."