Explaining the almost six months delay in obtaining possession , BW's Ed Fox told BB : "We were working with his family for some time to make sure he had somewhere to go."

I believe he is now in sheltered accommodation, Fox added, and the boat is being broken up.

This action is part of a national push to reduce licence evasion on BW's navigations, currently 5.7%. In the last financial year in England and Wales, BW issued 378 standard Section 8's on boats not lived on, 16 proceedings on liveaboards, removed 49 boats and planned the removal of a further 75 boats by the end of June 2005.