AN experienced boatman drowned inside his narrowboat when it became stuck in the lock gate of a canal.

Alan Green drowned when he returned to his narrowboat to retrieve his mother’s handbag which contained medication and money for a new boat an inquest into death at County Hall in Worcester heard today.

The 49-year-old ,who lived in a narrowboat at Netherwich Gardens, Droitwich, was declared dead at the scene on July 25 following the incident between 11.15am and 11.30am.

The boat became pinched by its rudder in the gate between locks four and five on the Droitwich canal, which would have been prevented had the narrowboat been fitted with a fender.

Efforts were made to save him by his friend, Steven Sidaway, who had been riding alongside the canal on a bike, opening lock gates for Mr Green and his mother Jean Green.

Mother and son had been heading for Tamworth to buy a boat.

The Canal and River Trust’s safety adviser Michael Moskot, said there was no fault with the lock gate which was accepted by the Worcestershire coroner, Geraint Williams.

Jean Green described her son shouting: “Get out quickly because we’re sinking!”

She told him about her bag which contained pills and money for the boat but he said he would get it. Steve Sidaway pulled Mrs Green off the boat and she ran after the dog which had already been saved.

Mrs Green said she saw her son for the last time, describing ‘a look of terror on his face’.

She described her son as ‘capable’. “He was a smashing bloke and it should not have happened” she said.

Barry Cowlyn found the boat already three quarters under water as Mr Sidaway tried to work the paddles to bring the water level down. Both men, described as ‘courageous’ by the coroner, tried to get Mr Green out of the boat, wading through debris floating around inside.

Steven Sidaway said Mr Green had been on the bow, helping his mother and had passed the dog, Ted, to him to get him to safety.

At one point Mr Sidaway banged on the roof with a gaff hook but there was no answer.

The coroner said the boat did not sink but was ‘swamped’ when trapped in the lock. He recorded a conclusion of accidental death.