CANAL & RIVER TRUST have blamed vandals motivated by social media wanting 'likes' for 'opening all locks' and draining a pound.
This was the two miles pound between locks 44 and 45 at Kidsgrove on the Trent & Mersey Canal, Janet Friend reports.
Purposely
The trust told it was dealing with the after effects of people purposefully draining water from the waterway, but must have been misrepresented. It being reported that every lock had been opened, but there was only the bottom lock being so affected, to drain the pound.
Cheshire Police were made aware of the incident, which was believed to have happened between 9pm and 10pm on Saturday evening.
The pound has since refilled but the trust state the issue could have caused 'massive problems' for boats moored in the pound and being grounded.
Motivated
It believing that this vandalism is motivated by people looking for social media 'likes'.
The locks along the section had been closed to navigation due to very little water being left in the supplying reservoirs, it was told.