Couple stranded as lock gates jam

A COUPLE were stranded after the gate at Whitchurch Lock became jammed.

David and Leslie Maynerd, of High Street, Whitchurch, were travelling on their boat, Whooperoo, on Sunday when they became stranded on the wrong side of the lock after the lock-keeper had difficulty closing the gate.

Mr Maynerd, 77, said: “It was a lovely sunny afternoon, so we sailed up to Beale Park for a barbecue on our boat.

“There was a 30-minute delay at the lock on the way up as they were having difficulty closing the upstream gates.

“Coming home, we found the lock closed with a notice saying divers were coming the next day. We were stranded on the wrong side of the lock as we moor at the Boathouse Surgery in Pangbourne, so we had no choice but to moor on the weir and walk home through the Mill House Garden.” The Environment Agency was alerted and on Monday divers from Red7 were called in to remove timber debris which was stopping the lock gates closing.

The lock opened again after about two hours.