Waterways charity, the Canal & River Trust, have removed another vehicle dumped in the canal at Nine Locks at the Delph in Brierley Hill.

This is the third incident in less than a week, after a Land Rover Discovery ended up at the bottom of Factory Locks on the New Main Line Canal at Tipton, and a car was hoisted out of the Grand Union Canal in Olton, Solihull.

Following the discovery in Tipton,  a 100-ton crane was brought near to the canal to lift the car out of the water.  Thankfully there has been minimal pollution and damage to the 200-year-old lock. The final costs for removing the car are still being tallied but it’s likely in excess of £5,000 for this incident alone. Aaron Atwal, from Canal & River Trust, said:

“The operation to remove the car from the canal has been extensive but I’m pleased we’ve were able to get the canal back open quickly. The Police are now handling the investigation and trying to establish how the car ended up in the canal.

“Thankfully, no one was hurt, but this incident is an incredibly reckless thing for anyone to have done, not to mention dangerous. Our canals are tranquil spaces that local people use to recharge and improve our mental and physical health, not places for cars to be dumped.”

Richard Preston, Regional Operations Manager for the Trust added that the additional recovery of vehicles from Solihull, and at the Delph meant that the charity would have to pay out thousands more pounds for recovery. He said that the 200 year old historic canals have a fragile infrastructure and can be damaged by such incidents, and the impact of petrol and other fluids from the car can cause damage to the environment. He said:

"It's really upsetting to see, whether it's vehicles in the canal or fly tipping - the Canal & River Trust do our best to look after our canals and keep them in the best possible condition."

"It's a challenge to extricate these vehicles, and we have to get specialists in to do this work. Of course, as a charity we have to pay for that and it can cost thousands of pounds, especially when as a charity we could spend the money looking after our canals and making them a fantastic place for people to come and enjoy. "