Sunken boats in Bath 'openly disintegrating' in River Avon

There are several boats along the River Avon in Bath that are sinking and coming apart

The sunken remains of houseboats wrecked in recent heavy rain could be polluting the river and waterways.

Recent flooding wrecked several boats along the Avon in Bath, which the Canal and River Trust say owners have responsibility for.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) have now employed a specialist manager to handle moorings and try and get in touch with owners.

Resident Tom Stephens said the sunken boats are "openly polluting the river."

"As a wildlife filmmaker, I think it's terrible that you would see this, we know the damage that pollutants do to the riverways," he explained.

"When you have a boat openly left to disintegrate, I think that's as horrible as it gets."

Mr Stephens is concerned about the number of different items and substances that could end up in the water.

"It's someone's home - so whatever is in someone's home is just going into the river."

Local resident Tom Stephens said the boats have been "openly disintegrating"

Gary Braund lives along the river and said he has spotted more sunken boats: "Oil, diesel, petrol, comes out of them. Rubbish - empty cans, empty bottles - it all drifts down the river."

"Unless you adjust your ropes during heavy rain you'll get caught and that pulls the boat under."

"If a boat runs out of rope, it can be pulled down," he explained.

Gary Braund lives in a houseboat along the River Avon in Bath and said boats get caught in flooding when mooring ropes are not adjusted

A spokesperson for BANES said it is aware the sunken boats are an issue for the environment and are a hazard for others on the river.

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for neighbourhood services at BANES, said: "The boats are the owners' responsibility and we are working to identify them and arrange recovery.

"Recovery requires the permission of the landowner and we are liaising with HM Land Registry to establish who the landowner is."

A Better Moorings manager has now been recruited to handle issues with moorings and will be reviewing the provision in Bath.

The council has urged owners to make sure their boat is fit for the water, safely moored and has insurance that includes salvage.

It would now like to hear from anyone who might know the owners of any of the sunken boats.

The council has now employed a Better Moorings Manager

The Canal and River Trust explained that the floods had damaged the canal network as well.

The charity has been repairing towpaths and infrastructure, but said the owners need to remove wrecked boats and it has to give them time to do it.

It added: "Our canals and rivers are cleaner than they've ever been and are a wonderful haven for wildlife."