‘Magnet fishing is a danger and creates work and disruption’
WATERWAYS CHARITY, POLICE AND COUNCIL BEGIN DISCUSSIONS ON WAY TO TACKLE ISSUE
THE charity which manages the UK’s waterways has “very real concerns” over magnet fishing in the city after a marked rise in dangerous objects, including unexploded munitions, being pulled from Leicester’s waterways.
The Canal and River Trust, which manages 2,000 miles of waterways in the UK, including the River Soar and the Grand Union Canal, has appealed to people to stop trying to retrieve objects from the water.
The charity stressed the practice is “not allowed” on waterways amid serious concerns about public safety.
A spokesman for the charity said: “We recognise that people may think that magnet fishers are helping us out, but magnet fishing is actually not allowed on our waterways and we have very real concerns about the safety of doing it.
“Items dragged out of the water can be sharp or heavy and, as we’ve seen so many times in Leicester, those fishing don’t know what’s beneath the surface of the water.”
As well as concerns for the safety of the magnet fishers themselves, there are also more concerns about the risk the pastime poses to the public.
The spokesman added “increasing amounts” of unwanted metal is being left on towpaths across the UK, which is believed to be as a result of magnet fishing.
He said: “It’s left to us, a charity, along with the city council to go out each week clearing up the tonnes of rusty and sharp metal that have been left behind.
“And, of course, it’s very rarely possible to get a vehicle to where the items have been left so our teams are having to carry it long distances.”
Magnet fishing is generally done over the bridges in Leicester, which the spokesman said also poses a danger to boaters who may be passing underneath.
Almost every week, an area of the city is force to be cordoned off while emergency services deal with yet another object being pulled from
We need a solution that doesn’t require the bomb disposal team and police shutting off parts of the city Simon Cole
the river. The latest incident, on Sunday last week, saw yet another device retrieved from the water, leading to one of the main routes into the city – St Augustine Road – being cordoned off and the bomb squad again called in.
This led to severe traffic delays and prompted the county’s police chief to tweet about the ongoing problem.
The message from Chief Constable Simon Cole read: “Another example of munitions being fished out by magnet fishing. Leicester City Centre Neighbourhood Policing is working with the Canal and River Trust and the city council to find a solution to this issue that doesn’t require the bomb disposal team and us shutting off parts of the city for public safety.”
Talks are reportedly in the early stages, and no decisions on the issue have been made yet.
The Canal and River Trust spokesman stressed that any recommendations that might be made will be entirely for the safety of the public.
He said: “We really don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun or dampen their interest in the waterways.
“But magnet fishing presents clear safety hazards to those taking part and others, spoils other people’s enjoyment of their local waterways and needlessly drains the resources of ourselves, local authorities, the police and bomb squad.”
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