The charity which looks after the canal network said there was no impact to wildlife or damage to the canal when a lorry crashed into the Trent and Mersey at Middlewich.

The Canal and River Trust closed the canal and towpath between lock 69 and lock 70 when an articulated vehicle entered the canal near bridge 165a.

Miraculously the driver escaped unhurt following the accident on May 8th and his company has said they are conducting "an internal investigation into the incident".

Firefighters used an inflatable raft to rescue the driver of a HGV after the vehicle crashed into the canal opposite British Salt. 

A spokesperson from the Canal and River Trust told Nub News: "Our charity liaised with a marine recovery specialist employed by the haulier who used two large mobile cranes to tandem lift the wagon from the canal.

"The vehicle was removed by mid-afternoon and the canal re-opened to navigation the following day once we were able to confirm that there wasn't any structural damage to the historic canal and that there wouldn't be any issues for boats. 

"Fortunately, the crash didn't cause any diesel or oil to spill into the water and, as such, there doesn't appear to be any adverse impact on the canal's wildlife."

Fire engines from Middlewich, Warrington, Congleton, Knutsford and Lymm went to the scene together with the rescue boat from Lymm and rope rescue unit from Knutsford.

A spokesperson from Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "An inflatable raft was used to rescue the driver of the vehicle and they were passed to the care of ambulance crews."

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