Llangollen Canal breach at Whitchurch – latest statement
News from the Canal & River Trust – 24 December 2025
A breach on the Llangollen Canal near New Mills Lift Bridge, Whitchurch, happened in the early hours of 22 December.
Picture: Canal & River Trust
The incident has been highly distressing for the boat owners affected, with footage online showing the situation unfolding. Heartbreakingly, two boats were washed into the breach hole and a further two feared at risk right next to the hole, including one part-over the edge of the breached canal. A further six boats were sat on the drained bed of the canal in a section that had run dry.
The Trust’s initial response was to make the site secure and ensure that boaters affected had adequate support, including those needing somewhere for them and their pets to stay.
Yesterday (23 December), the Trust installed temporary dams nearer to the breach location to shorten the length of the canal that will remain dry until the canal is rebuilt and back to navigation.
Overnight, canal water has been pumped into the dammed sections and, as of 6am this morning, water levels were starting to recover. This means that one of the boats near to the breach site, plus six further up the canal, are now beginning to refloat. They are expected to be fully afloat by later today.
Also, at about 10pm last night, the team has been able to rescue the boat teetering at the edge of the breach hole. This was possible thanks to a specialist winch operation, using a heavy-duty tracked winch measuring approximately 5m by 3m. Once in location, the winch was able to haul the boat along the drained canal away from the breach hole. The boat is now safely located next to the lift bridge. In the new year, a dam will be constructed beyond the boat and it also refloated.
Engineers have started their investigations into what caused the canal embankment to be undermined. This will continue after the new year together with the initial plans to recover the two boats in the breach hole and the long and costly process of rebuilding and reinstating the canal.
Campbell Robb, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, comments:
“Now the initial emergency response, including the concern for boaters’ immediate safety, has passed, our teams have been working hard to refill the Llangollen Canal around the site of the breach. This will mean the boats in the immediate area are refloating, and navigation along other affected areas will be restored. We are also delighted to have been able to recover narrowboat Pacemaker from the edge of the breach overnight.
“Alongside this, our engineers are continuing their investigations into why the canal embankment was undermined and will be drawing up plans for its repair. We’ll be providing regular updates and assurance to the local and boating community in the weeks ahead. Thankfully, breaches of this scale are relatively rare, but, when they do occur, they’re expensive and complicated to fix.
“I’m thankful that, working with Shropshire Council, initial support has been there for all the people and pets who got caught up in this disaster. With most of the boats now refloating, we’ll continue to support those affected.”
The embankment has been subject to a regular inspection regime by the charity’s specialist inspectors and engineers, as is routine for all its assets. The Trust needs to understand exactly what caused the canal embankment to be undermined and breach. Engineers will then prepare a plan for the huge and likely lengthy task of rebuilding and then reopening the canal.
