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| Droitwich narrowboat death man 'saved mum and dog' | Droitwich narrowboat death man 'saved mum and dog' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man saved his mother and dog before dying when his narrowboat sank in a canal lock, eyewitnesses said. | A man saved his mother and dog before dying when his narrowboat sank in a canal lock, eyewitnesses said. |
| Alan Green lived aboard the Sandscout in Netherwich Basin near Droitwich, friends told BBC Hereford & Worcester. | |
| They said after helping the woman and dog to safety, he got back inside the boat to salvage items but could not get out as it filled with water. | They said after helping the woman and dog to safety, he got back inside the boat to salvage items but could not get out as it filled with water. |
| The boat is still trapped in the Droitwich Junction Canal, off the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. | The boat is still trapped in the Droitwich Junction Canal, off the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. |
| Paramedics battled for 40 minutes to resuscitate Mr Green but he died at the scene, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. | Paramedics battled for 40 minutes to resuscitate Mr Green but he died at the scene, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. |
| An elderly woman managed to get off the boat unharmed before it sank, a spokesman added. | An elderly woman managed to get off the boat unharmed before it sank, a spokesman added. |
| Canal death eyewitness accounts on BBC Local Live | Canal death eyewitness accounts on BBC Local Live |
| Volunteer lock keeper James Cowlishaw said he had spoken to Mr Green on the day of the tragedy and later fought to rescue him. | Volunteer lock keeper James Cowlishaw said he had spoken to Mr Green on the day of the tragedy and later fought to rescue him. |
| "He went past on his boat, we passed the time of day and he went off into the distance and we caught him up in those terrible circumstances. | "He went past on his boat, we passed the time of day and he went off into the distance and we caught him up in those terrible circumstances. |
| "There was an air gap at the top but we had no response when we were knocking the top of the boat which was worrying. | "There was an air gap at the top but we had no response when we were knocking the top of the boat which was worrying. |
| "I tried to get in the front but it was rammed with bedding and furniture which was floating about in there. | "I tried to get in the front but it was rammed with bedding and furniture which was floating about in there. |
| "The emergency services took over and eventually found him. | "The emergency services took over and eventually found him. |
| "We can't understand how he got in the trouble he did." | "We can't understand how he got in the trouble he did." |
| A witness at the scene said he saw the boat "right at the bottom of the lock" and called an ambulance. | A witness at the scene said he saw the boat "right at the bottom of the lock" and called an ambulance. |
| "[There were] two people on it - one at the front and one at the back. They were trying to fight their way through the debris which was floating around in the boat. | "[There were] two people on it - one at the front and one at the back. They were trying to fight their way through the debris which was floating around in the boat. |
| "There was nothing I could do really," he said. | "There was nothing I could do really," he said. |
| Blocking link route | |
| Droitwich Spa marina manager, Nick Parkes, said the Sandscout was blocking a link route between the Worcester & Birmingham Canal and the River Severn. | |
| But boats could still travel in either direction along the canal, he said. | |
| He added that he hoped the boat would be raised from the water by midday. | |
| The Canal and River Trust, which looks after the canal, said it would assist with any investigation. | The Canal and River Trust, which looks after the canal, said it would assist with any investigation. |
| A trust spokeswoman said: "We're deeply saddened to hear that someone has lost their life on the canal, and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time. | A trust spokeswoman said: "We're deeply saddened to hear that someone has lost their life on the canal, and our thoughts are with the family at this very difficult time. |
| "Incidents like this are rare, and while there's no indication there's a problem with the canal, we'll be looking at whether there's anything we can do to prevent this kind of thing happening again in future." | "Incidents like this are rare, and while there's no indication there's a problem with the canal, we'll be looking at whether there's anything we can do to prevent this kind of thing happening again in future." |
| The trust, formerly British Waterways, said Droitwich Canals reopened in 2011. | The trust, formerly British Waterways, said Droitwich Canals reopened in 2011. |