Emotional scene as Elswick boater launches his late wife's boat on Lancaster Canal after fixing the vessel in tribute

Waterway enthusiast Colin Ogden has been working on the historic boat he bought for his wife one birthday, and launched it at Glasson Marina.on the Lancaster Canal ,just before what would have been their 21st wedding anniversary.

Lynda, a bird lover, was an RSPB member and named her boat after a shoreline bird.

Colin said: "The restoration of Whimbrel reminds me of how she loved boating and Whimbrel was very dear to her.

"I have done it in her memory, and the love we had for each other.

"I always said I would buy her a little boat - she cried when I first brought her back on the trailer.

"She fell in love with her, she was her baby. I'm just sorry I never got round to doing this before, because Lynda was not very well for a long time.

"She was always fussing around her, I taught her to steer her. She loved it.

"I will never part with her, as I promised Lynda. No amount of money will be enough."

The 15ft 1965 vessel is a former water taxi wreck from Lake Windermere.

Along with Colin, Lynda was an avid campaigner for the restoration of the northern reaches of the Lancaster Canal.

The couple wanted to see the reconnection of the 42 miles of the southern canal - from Preston to Tewitfield - with the Northern reaches that go into Cumbria, which were abandoned in the late 50s, with most of the canal later filled in.