Sunken boat could pollute Cam

THOUGH neighbouring boaters have been warning about the threat of pollution from a sinking boat in the Cam, nothing has been done.

The narrowboat Helena Knowsley moored at Midsummer Common in Cambridge has been getting lower and lower in the water for months, with a boater lifting the engine hatch and seeing water seeping in its stern gland, and now the boat rests on the river's bottom.

Boaters have warned the local council of the possible hazard of pollution, but though an enforcement notice was posted on the boat  early in December, its owner, Eric Finlow-Bates, did not respond, and nothing else was done.

There is now the worry of pollution, especially as the river could rise and swamp the boat in the current conditions, releasing any oil, fuel, etc into the river.

The Cam Conservators have known about the slowing sinking boat, having been informed by boaters, with an organisation spokesman acknowledging it knows about it, and have been working with Cambridge City Council's Active Communities team to attempt to deal with the situation.

The council is  responsible for taking action against anyone who did not keep a boat in good working order.