# Couple,cat & 24 YEAR OLD DOG safe after sinking boat



## Paganman (Jul 29, 2011)

Published on Friday 6 January 2012 09:42 home is lost under waves - News - Goole Courier

AN elderly couple lost their home, after 15 foot waves on a district canal caused their narrowboat to sink.

Pauline and Norman Brown, whose barge sank at Rawcliffe Bridge last Wednesday, were just able to save their pet cat and *24 year old dog*, Billy, before their boat, Little Nell, met its watery end.

It was just freak weather, said Norman, aged 69. It was around 2pm and the weather changed dramatically. The water was very rough and the waves were ten and 15 feet high. They burst the canopy at the front of the boat and then the water started to get into the barge.

Norman heroically managed to steer Little Nell to the bank, and was then able to get Pauline, and pets Billy and Sam to shore.

But the boat didnt go without a fight, Norman said. We got to the riverbank and it took her about half an hour to go down. We tried to save her but she sank about half an hour after we got on dry land.

The couple have been living on their narrowboat, which they bought 25 years ago, for the past eight years and had travelled from the Blue Water Marina at Thorne, where Little Nell was berthed, to spend the New Year at Rawcliffe Bridge.

It was very bad luck really, Norman continued. We were just 100 yards away from the marina when it happened. If wed got in there, wed have been safe. They are still waiting to hear which of their possessions are salvageable. Well have to wait until theyve got the boat to the surface before we know anything, Norman said. It is our home, so everything we own was on there.

However, the kindness of their fellow boat enthusiasts and the people of Rawcliffe Bridge were the silver lining on the couples storm cloud.

The owner of the Blue water Marina is lending them a narrowboat to live on temporarily, until their insurance cash comes through and Paul Smith, owner of the villages Black Horse pub, put them up for free whilst they stayed in Rawcliffe Bridge.

Fellow boat lover Nigel Lipp attempted to help the couple save the boat and also gave them the use of his motorhome as they faced their first night of homelessness.

I could see they needed a bit of help and if you see people in trouble you help dont you? Nigel, who also lives on his boat, said: We tried to secure the boat but it was too far gone by then and we just had to watch it sink. It must be upsetting for them to lose their home.


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## MCWillow (Aug 26, 2011)

*Gulps* :scared:

So glad the most precious cargo was saved :thumbup:

Thats why I keep the cat carriers in the kitchen - I wanna be able to get my kitties out quickly if I need to - touch wood I wont need to!


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## Ingrid25 (Oct 1, 2011)

WOW! thats so cool that someone is that caring- i would of thought they would of ditched the animals and saved themselves!


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## dorrit (Sep 13, 2011)

A lovely story showing both that dedicated pet owners do exsist and that there is still a sense of community in some areas..

I hope they get their home sorted out soon.


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## MCWillow (Aug 26, 2011)

Us boat dwellers live in great communities - and almost all of us have cats/dogs, or both - that always come first!

Well they do where I live anyway  :thumbup:


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## MoggyBaby (Mar 8, 2011)

Ingrid25 said:


> WOW! thats so cool that someone is that caring- *i would of thought they would of ditched the animals and saved themselves*!


I have our cat carrier in an easy access place 'just in case' anything untoward should happen. And I live in a house!!!!

The OH is fully aware that, if we need to get out quickly, the priority lies in getting the cats in the carrier before anything else!!!!!!


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## nany3319 (Jan 13, 2012)

I have our cat carrier in an easy access place 'just in case' anything untoward should happen.


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## Paganman (Jul 29, 2011)

24yr old dog is amazing and I bet they have never heard of grain free,barf,+R 

It's leftovers and a clip around the ear


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