Ten people have been helped to safety after a hole opened up in a Shropshire canal, pulling in boats and discharging large volumes of water on to surrounding land. Emergency services declared a major incident after the 50 metre-long hole breached the canal in the West Midlands, leaving boats teetering on the edge of a steep drop or stuck at the bottom of the cavity. There were no reported casualties, according to West Mercia police

Source: The Guardian December 22, 2025 19:09 UTC