Shropshire Llangollen Canal Breach Caused by Collapse of 200-Year-Old Artificial Embankment
A breach of the Llangollen canal in Shropshire occurred after an artificial embankment, more than 200 years old, collapsed, creating a hole that swallowed two narrowboats and left others stranded.
Emergency services declared the major incident over 24 hours after the embankment failure. The Canal and River Trust (CRT) began isolating the damaged section and refloating boats on the emptied waterway.
CRT chief operating officer Julie Sharman stated that there was no clear cause yet. Embankments along the canal are regularly inspected, and this particular embankment had been monitored but was not flagged as high risk.
On-site teams installed fabric dams on either side of the breach and laid a pipe to carry water across, intended to refill downstream sections. The aim is to refloat about half a dozen stranded boats.
The collapsed embankment section measured between three and five metres high. Possible causes include high water levels and water ingress into the earthworks. The bedrock in the area contains soluble salt, which may have contributed to the embankment's instability.
The incident affected the Llangollen canal, which the Inland Waterways Association had flagged as an amber risk, though this designation was attributed to funding issues rather than structural faults. A multi-agency investigation into the breach is deemed essential.
Repairs are expected to take six to nine months and cost about £2 million. The CRT plans to refill the downstream sections and assist boaters affected by the sudden disruption ahead of Christmas.
