Shipwreck removal costs taxpayer £15k

10 December 2009

A SHIPWRECK that blocked a Weston river for more than three years has finally been moved, at a cost of £15,000 to the taxpayer.

The last chunks of Solitaire were prised from the bank of Uphill Great Rhyne on Friday after a three-day, six-man operation by a salvage firm.

North Somerset Council says it was forced to pay Weston Recovery Services to take away the 1890s motor launch vessel after its owner refused to move it.

The unitary authority's deputy leader, Elfan Ap Rees, said: "Clearly we didn't feel that the taxpayer should be footing the bill, but it had to be moved.

"We will still try to recover the money from the owner if we can, but that depends on whether he can pay."

The boat's owner, Bruno Opperman, is thought to have run aground while trying to remove his boat from the yard on September 9, 2006.

Cllr Ap Rees said that the council is considering legal action, but does not want to spend money if it would be unsuccessful.

Mr Opperman previously tried to take the owners of Uphill Boatyard to court, saying they ran the boat aground while moving it, but the case was dropped before it was heard.

Over the past three years the ship has caused trouble for seafarers trying to access the yard, according to its manager Sue Williams.

She said: "There have been a couple of incidents and it has generally been a problem for people trying to access the yard.

"It's a relief to everybody here."

Weston Recovery Services used two 1940s Scannell trucks, which were designed to drag tanks out of sand in World War Two, along with another recovery truck and a large JCB, to remove the vehicle.

The top of the vessel came apart from the main hull, which remained in place and was removed in pieces, which will be recycled.

The company's operations director Jeff Stride said: "It was a very unusual job for us and a really good challenge.