Trapped boat rescued from Lincoln's historic Glory Hole

Ray Fisher's narrow boat became trapped under Lincoln's High Bridge after it suffered an engine failure

A boat and its owner have been rescued after becoming stuck in a tunnel known as the Glory Hole.

The narrow boat became trapped under Lincoln's renowned city centre High Bridge after suffering an engine failure in fast-flowing water.

Firefighters used a boat and ropes to drag the vessel to a safer point further along the River Witham.

The stuck boater, Ray Fisher, 70, said: "I didn't have enough power for the water flow and made a mess of it."

Mr Fisher said it was the second time he had been rescued in five years

Mr Fisher, who took to the water three years ago following the death of his wife, said: "It's a very narrow part of the river in the Glory Hole and the flow was just too hard for the engine to deal with.

"I stepped off the boat to give it an extra shove and the river pulled it to the opposite bank."

Two fire crews and a rescue boat were called to the medieval High Bridge - said to be the oldest bridge in the UK which still has buildings upon it - just before 13:00 GMT on Tuesday.

Fire crews used ropes to pull the vessel free

Tom Humphries, crew manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "He suffered an engine failure and is quite heavily laden, so was unable to get under the bridge.

"The river is particularly fast-flowing today and when the waterway narrows the flow increases. So it requires more effort to get through, because you're working against the flow and the tide."

Explaining the details of the rescue operation, Mr Humphries said: "Rather than leave it under the bridge - it's not in a place of safety if other vessels come through - we've lowered him under control, brought him down-stream using lines and personnel power and tied him up."

Mr Fisher praised his rescuers and said he would soon be on his way

Speaking after the rescue, Mr Fisher revealed it was not the first time firefighters had come to his aid.

"It's the second time in five years I've had the brigade out to me. I once got stuck on the River Trent while trying to rescue another boat," he said.

Praising his rescuers he said: "I feel great now, the firefighters did a marvellous job, they've been absolutely brilliant - without them I'd have been stuck."

"On a boat you go with the flow and that flow is saying I'm going nowhere," he joked.