Queen's Diamond Jubilee: Shropshire boat joins pageant

Chris Symes said two boats would be making the 220-mile journey to London

A Shropshire narrow boat crewed by people with disabilities will represent the county in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

About 1,000 vessels are expected to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June.

The Shropshire Lass narrowboat will make the 220-mile journey to London using the canal network.

Owned by the Lyneal Trust, the boat's crew will include army servicemen and women wounded in action.

Chairman Chris Symes said the charity, based on the Llangollen canal near Ellesmere, was working with Shrewsbury barracks and the pageant would form part of the army's rehabilitation programme.

He added that the charity, which specialises in holidays for people with disabilities, was excited and proud to be representing the county at the pageant.

A second boat, The Shropshire Lad, will also complete the journey to London, which includes 190 locks and is expected to take up to two weeks.

Organisers expect up to one million people to line the River Thames between Putney and Tower Bridge to watch the seven-mile-long procession of small vessels.