Caen Hill open paddle lock leads to canal towpath collapse

Water from the stretch between Devizes and Wootton Rivers overwhelmed the famous locks damaging the towpath

A "significant" part of the towpath next to the Caen Hill locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal has been washed away after a lock gate was left open.

The Canal and Rivers Trust said the paddle lock at the top of the famous flight of locks was left open overnight overwhelming the locks near Devizes.

The trust said it does not know if the damage was caused by "carelessness or deliberate vandalism".

Initial estimates suggest the repair bill may run into six figures.

The paddle locks at the peak of the Caen Hill flight were left open overnight

Staff from the trust - the charity which looks after the canal - were on site earlier to assess the damage,

"We're going to be left with a huge repair bill to contend with," said Mark Evans, waterway manager at the Canal and River Trust.

"It really couldn't have happened in a worse spot - the pound above Kennet Lock is the longest on the whole canal, so we're talking about a lot of water rushing down the Caen Hill flight, which has caused the damage."