SIX canal boats have been transported by crane to Widbrook Marina, in Bradford on Avon, after becoming stranded in a flight of locks.

The boats were trapped on the 29 Caen Hill locks, near Devizes, which had to be closed after a mystery boat rammed into the gates of one of the historic locks shattering the oak timbers on September 27.

The locks will be out of action for up to five weeks as new gates are fitted, so British Waterways came to the rescue to rescue the boats.

It arranged for a 100-tonne crane to lift two the two privately owned and four hire boats from the Kennet and Avon Canal at Devizes Wharf on Friday. They were then transported by lorry to the marina.

The new gates, which should be fitted in the next three weeks, will cost £42,000.

John Ward, British Waterways regional operations manager, said: "Unlike most things in life these days, you don't just pop down the High Street and buy a replacement set of lock gates.

"There are nearly 2,000 lock chambers across the UK, each with top and bottom gates and every single one of them is unique in its dimensions."