It has been an eventful weekend in our little town in Cheshire.

Late on Thursday night, the embankment around an aqueduct fell away, causing the canal to drain over the sides and into the river below. There is now a huge hole in the canal with up to 20 boats stranded, including one that was moored so close to the hole it’s a wonder it didn’t fall in. And our lovely waterway has disappeared, at least in one half of Middlewich.

Back to school after a stay at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

Today will mark the return to school for my eldest daughter after her stay in Alder Hey hospital for a rare and serious infection that required emergency surgery. She has been off school for three weeks, and my life has been chaotic at best. I was looking forward to a nice, long walk along the canal with my dog, returning to our regular school run routine. I am seriously in need of some fresh air and exercise! But our usual route runs alongside the now empty canal, and I know that large sections of the path has been fenced off for safety reasons since the incident. I may have to modify my Monday morning walk, after all… and the recovery mission begins for our waterways authorities.

You can read the full story about the Middlewich canal collapse over on The Middlewich Diary, with links to press reports.

Did you enjoy this article? Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here.