A flotilla of fishermen rallied to the aid of a pal whose 35ft boat sunk in the Thames leaving him with a bill of thousands of pounds.
Colin Dolby, 42, was "lost for words" when boats travelled for miles and worked day and night to help salvage the boat Louisa which sunk in the estuary off Leigh.
They acted after the London Port Authority, which controls the waters, told Colin, of Leighville Grove, Leigh, they would charge him up to £10,000 to move it.
Colin, who hurt his back during the rescue operation, said today: "I can't afford insurance on the boat, so when I went out to find it had completely sunk I was devastated. The boat is my livelihood and there was no way I could salvage it on my own.
"I was lost for words - it was like a dream to see everyone helping me out."
Published Monday December 15, 2003
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