Stret Lock being widened

MANY boaters have reported the long standing problem with Stret Lock at Worksop on the Chesterfield Canal, it being impassible with fenders down.

It was just a few weeks ago that the narrowboat Gipsy, became so fast it needed a tow by a tractor to get it out of the lock after it had been wedged as the water drained out.

Pushed inwards

Over the years the lock walls have pushed inwards, and boats with fenders down invariably have problems of varying degrees, depending on the boaters knowledge and common sense in closing the paddles before getting completely wedged.

This has been a problem for many years, right back to the 1990's, but at last it is being attended to, with workers on site at present, and it expected to be completed by the end of this month.