Vandals drain Erewash pounds

THE Erewash Canal is unnavigable in Ilkeston due to vandals draining pounds.

Draining two pounds

The paddles were opened on two locks on the waterway draining the two pounds between Barker's Lock (68) and Green's Lock (70) in Ilkeston, Keith Gudgin reports.

We are told that Canal & River Trust's local team is on site attempting to get the water levels back so that navigation can resume.

However though paddles on all the locks in built-up areas had anti-vandal locks, the trust has allowed these to fall out of use after breaking, with the result that vandals with either a windless, suitable spanner or wrench can easily open all paddles and drain pounds.

Only one anti-vandal lock

During our recent cruise on the Erewash we discovered only one anti vandal lock that was on a ground paddle on Long Eaton Lock—and it was stuck.  As it of course it was broken.