Endon White Bridge vandals endangering Caldon Canal boaters

Damage to the White Bridge in Endon has caused safety concerns for walkers and boaters

Vandalism to a canal bridge in Staffordshire is proving a danger for narrowboat owners, the Canal and River Trust has said.

Bricks and masonry have been broken off White Bridge in Endon and pushed into the Caldon Canal below.

It means rubble has been building up, with boats often scraping it as they navigate the waterway.

The trust said it planned repairs, but the money could be better spent on other activities.

It said it had reported vandalism at White Bridge to police as a heritage crime.

There are also concerns for the safety of pedestrians as the bridge is on a busy walking route.

'Considerable damage'

"We have been battling for a couple of weeks now with vandals at this bridge," a spokesperson for the Canal and River Trust said.

"Considerable damage has been done to the bridge parapets which have been pushed into the canal below causing issues for local boaters."

The trust, which is responsible for 2,000 miles (3,200km) of waterways in England and Wales, has installed temporary fencing along the bridge prior to undertaking repairs.

Lee Grantham, commodore of Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club, said on one occasion a boat owner encountered a young person hanging on to the damaged bridge in an attempt to jump on to their boat.

He said such incidents were causing concern and had led to dangerous situations.

Local councillor Joe Porter said he was in contact with police.