BOATERS who use the Kennet & Avon Canal are furious that a couple who have moored in Devizes for a number of years were evicted by the Canal & River Trust this week.

Details of the eviction have been posted on the Kennet and Avon Boating Community website which says the boat was hoisted out of the water on Wednesday morning.

Another boater said: "A boater moored at Lower Wharf on a long term mooring was evicted from the mooring by CRT. The boater and her husband had resided on the mooring for 6 years and had lived on the water for 11 years. The couple in their 60s, with health problems, were in employment."

The boating community website said that not enough support had been given to the couple but the Canal & River Trust say that a court order would have had to be in place for the boat to be lifted out of the water and it would have taken months for the action against an unlicensed boat to get to this stage.

The trust says it offers support and advice to anyone living on a boat and facing financial difficulties.

A spokesman said: "The Canal & River Trust welcomes all boaters onto our canals and we seek to manage our busy waterways safely and fairly for all the 33,500 boats on the network.

“We always do as much as we reasonably can to help boaters stay on the water, providing guidance and advice to help them meet their licence conditions. Where people are facing more serious difficulties we help to put them in touch with support organisations, or provide help via our Welfare Officer.

“Taking a boat out of the water is always a last resort. Ultimately any decision about someone losing their home is made by a Judge who considers whether the Trust has acted appropriately. Fortunately, of the 33,500 boats on the network, last year only a very small fraction – fewer than 20 boats – were taken to court and the boat removed. This only happens when a boat owner refuses to follow the rules over a long period of time, during which the Trust has tried to resolve the issue with the customer.”