15 shocking photos of Whitchurch canal collapse causing chaos on Shropshire waterway as investigation begins

Digital content editor

Published 22nd Dec 2025, 19:17 GMT

Updated 23rd Dec 2025, 12:35 GMT

These revealing photos show the extent of the destruction caused when a section of the Llangollen Canal collapsed in a Shropshire town on Monday.

The alarm was raised soon after 4am with reports of a hole emerging along the waterway, causing large volumes of water to escape onto land in the Chemistry area of Whitchurch.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said that three boats were caught in a developing sinkhole approximately 50 metres by 50 metres in size and that approximately 12 people from nearby moored boats were helped to safety.

A major incident has been declared and the fire service is working with other agencies including the Canal & River Trust, which has begun its own investigations into the sudden collapse.

See some of the most dramatic photos from the day's events below:

The scene in Whitchurch after a huge hole swallowed two narrowboats. Photo: Tim Thursfield

The scene in Whitchurch, Shropshire, where emergency services declared a major incident. Photo: Andy Kelvin/PA Wire

The scene in Whitchurch after a huge sinkhole opened up. Photo: Tim Thursfield

The scene in Whitchurch on Monday. Photo: Tim Thursfield

Shropshire Canal & River Trust

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