Vandals drain five pounds on the Erewash Canal

CONTINUED vandalism on the Erewash Canal has left five pounds drained.

This occurred yesterday, Thursday, with the navigation drained between the five locks from Potters Lock to Pastures Lock, Keith Gudgin reports.

Constantly suffered

This covers a distance of two and a half miles of the canal at Ilkeston, where such vandalism has been constantly suffered for many years since most of the anti-vandal locks that were originally installed have either failed or broken.

It was in 2001—20 years ago—that we first cruised the Erewash, and as the picture shows, we were stuck at Long Eaton by vandals opening paddles with the anti vandal lock not out of action.

No anti-vandal locks working

We ventured up the canal again this year, and as reported there were no anti vandal locks working on Long Eaton Lock, the remaining one being so distorted it would not close.

As Keith commented—Why don't they replace the anti-vandal locks? 

It would certainly save a great deal of work of teams being called out to get the water levels back, as well as the inconvenience to boaters.