A boater brought chaos to Bradford on Avon on Saturday when his craft sank in the lock near the Canal Wharf.

Fire and rescue services, police and paramedics rushed to the scene at around midday after the man’s rowing boat capsized.

Scores of bystanders watched the drama unfold on the Kennet & Avon Canal and traffic backed up along the B3109 Frome Road as emergency services dealt with the incident.

One eye-witness, Alan Newbury, said: “The boat overturned behind the lock and the chap that was with the boat would not get out of the water and leave all his stuff.

“Only when the watch commander of the fire brigade talked some sense into him did he get out for his safety after being in the water for a long time.”

The crews directed the boater to a point where he was able to climb out of the lock. He was not believed to have been injured.

Two fire appliances, five police vehicles, and four paramedics in an ambulance car and a land ambulance all attended the scene.

The incident caused delays to canal traffic going through the lock, while emergency services vehicles partially blocked the Frome Road.

Working with Canal and River Trust volunteers, fire crews later helped to remove the man’s rowing boat from the water.