DISABLED canal boater George Ward has now been finally evicted from the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath.

Mr Ward, 62, has been living in a tent on the towpath near Bradford on Avon since his two workboats were removed in April and May.

He was forced to leave this month after the Canal & River Trust obtained a fresh court order for trespass at a Bristol County Court hearing on July 26, which he failed to attend.

Mr Ward had wanted to request a 28-day adjournment of the case to enable him to prepare a defence but it went ahead in his absence.

He said: “I emailed the court to say the papers had been incorrectly served but they went ahead.

“Seven days later the enforcement agent came to deliver the news that I had 48 hours to leave or go to prison.

“I am now living in a van on a farmer’s field with his permission and I have access to water.”

It is understood that Mr Ward is still living in Wiltshire. He says he is not willing to reveal what his plans are for the future.

“I am not prepared to say where I am or what I am doing,” said Mr Ward, who is registered disabled and claims benefits.

Mr Ward’s eviction ends a three-year battle with the Canal & River Trust, which manages 2,000 miles of the country’s inland waterways.

The Trust obtained eviction orders in January and told him to remove his two unlicensed boats, the March Hare and The Celtic, from the canal, which he failed to do.

The Trust tried but failed to remove the March Hare on April 19 when he defiantly locked himself inside, but succeeded in removing The Celtic.

The March Hare was later removed on May 11. Both boats were transported to a storage yard near Chester.

Mr Ward has been told that he needs to pay £30,743 for the removal of the March Hare on May 11, plus £1,314.68 to cover licence fees and courier charges to return personal items removed with his boat.

The Trust says it plans to sell the boat by October 13 if he fails to find the money.

In the meantime, some of his possessions still remain on the towpath as he was unable to remove them all before leaving.

Locals have described the site where he lived as an eyesore.