House flooded as canal breached
A home and fields were flooded when water escaped from a canal near the Shropshire border.
A home and fields were flooded when water escaped from a canal near the Shropshire border.
The breach occurred on the Llangollen Canal at Cornhill Embankment, near Bettisfield.
John Clayton, British Waterways spokesman, said the incident happened at 8.30am yesterday while engineers were carrying out repair work at the site.
"We encountered unexpected ground conditions during the work which resulted in the canal breaching its bank," he said.
"We have taken immediate action to stem the breach with stop planks and are now working to establish the cause.
"A nearby home has been flooded. Members of staff are on hand to arrange alternative accommodation and transport while repair work is carried out. We are also contacting local landowners to keep them informed of the position," he added.
Mr Clayton said it was too early to say how long repairs would take.
"We are setting up measures to maintain the water feed to the eastern end of the waterway. Nearby roads are unaffected although we have closed the towpath on safety grounds," he added.
Signage will be put up to warn boating traffic of canal and towpath closures.
Councillor Phil Jones, from Maelor South Council, said: "Fields were flooded, animals had to be moved, a house was flooded, and that has gone down overnight once the water presumably drained out of the canal."