‘Handbrake Let Off & Car Pushed Into Canal’

An appeal to trace two potential witnesses has been launched online after a car was pushed into a canal near Chirk yesterday evening.

The incident occurred just before 4:30pm on Thursday 5 January evening at the Chirk Canal Bridge, near the B5605.

The owner of the car Mike Bowen said the incident took place while he was walking his dogs along the canal with his wife: “We were on our way back to the car when we turned the last corner and were able to see our car in the distance.

“I noticed there was a man standing near by but didn’t give it much thought while I was talking to my wife. But as I looked back at my car it seemed to me to be at a strange angle and then I realised it was moving and this bloke was pushing it.”

Mike said he ran towards the man telling him to stop, however the car was pushed into the canal

The man is described as being at around 5ft 9 and was drove off in a brown coloured car which had large rear light clusters. He was seen on the bridge driving toward the A5 to Chirk.

Mike added: “When I reached the spot my car was still floating and slowly turned about in the current before coming to rest where I took the photo.

“A couple who were driving by saw the car in the water and came to see if they could help and I phoned the police. This couple kindly took my wife home while I waited for the police. Fair play to the police, they arrived quite quickly.”

It appears the passenger window was smashed, the handbrake released and the vehicle pushed into the canal. When Mike returned to where his car had been parked, there were shards of smashed glass on the floor.

Mike is wanting anyone with information to come forward, and is keen to trace some nearby dog walkers who may have also witnessed the incident. He said: “Somebody may hear something, please let me know. There was a couple we passed at about 4:20pm walking a pair of black and white cocker spaniels. They are locals as we have seen them before. It is likely they saw this guy. Maybe someone might know these people.”

He added that the ‘repercussions will not be lived’ with financial impacts of replacing his car.

We have also recently reported on an incident in Southsea where a handbrake was released after a window was smashed – with a car rolling 75 metres before smashing through a fence.

Anyone with any information should call police via the 101 number citing reference V002128.