WATCH: Shocking moment Shropshire canal boat plunged into a 160ft-wide hole

Emergency services declared a major incident after receiving reports at 4.22am on Monday of a 'sinkhole' causing large volumes of water to escape onto land in the Chemistry area of Whitchurch. 

A multi-agency response involving emergency services was set up, co-ordinated through the Shropshire Tactical Co-ordination Group, to make the area safe. Luckily, no casualties were reported at the scene. 

In a video, shared on the YouTube channel Narrowboat Life Unlocked by Paul Smith-Storey and his partner Anthony, their boat can be seen tipping over the sinkhole's edge, with the sound of wood creaking and shattering as it is swallowed up. 

Paul, who says they 'sold bricks and mortar for a life on the water', claims their boat had been moored just 18 yards away from the hole when he was woken by loud noises. 

"We are woken up in the early hours of the morning due to a massive breach on the Llangollen Canal, narrowboats get washed away, it's caught on camera and we check the extent of the damage in daylight," the video's description said.

In the clip, which has gained more than 250,000 views, Paul explained that they had been woken up just after 4am believing there had "been a breach" and that the "levels had gone down by at least 2 feet".

"I'm just going to get off, I don't know what I'm going to do because everything is just falling over," he added, before stepping out to see that other boats had been damaged by the incident. 

Two narrowboats fell into the hole and are now left at the bottom of it, while one was teetering over the edge. 

Crews battled through 'unstable ground and rapidly moving water' as they rescued 14 people. Luckily, no casualties were reported at the scene. 

The canal bank collapsed leaving large volumes of water escaping into the surrounding land.

Paul, who has set up a GoFundMe for those affected by the 'major incident', said they spoke to one of the owners who lost their boat in the sinkhole. 

"Thank the lord he got off his boat," he said.

"He heard the noise and got off his boat thankfully in time because his boat was basically washed away in the bottom of that sinkhole.

"As we were chatting, the hole seemed to get bigger and was teetering over the edge, more of the bottom of the canal washed away and that boat went over the edge as well."

A spokesperson for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Firefighters have been working in challenging conditions with unstable ground and rapidly moving water, crews immediately established upstream and downstream safety sectors and began mitigating water flow using barge boards and water gate systems."

Area manager Scott Hurford added: "We can confirm no persons are believed to be on board the affected canal boats, and no injuries have been reported.

"Approximately 14 residents from nearby moored boats are being supported and relocated to a welfare centre at the former Whitchurch Police Station.

"A major incident was declared at 5.17am however as of 8.30am the situation was stable with water flow reduced and there is no ongoing search and rescue activity.

"Multiagency attendance remains in place to manage the environmental impact, protect nearby properties, and ensure public safety. Please avoid the area while we continue to deal with this significant incident."