Man's bid to repair home after canal boat fire

An army veteran said he has been left homeless after a fire tore through his canal boat days before Christmas.

Kris Hardy from Bradford was hospitalised after trying to tackle the blaze on his houseboat, which was moored on the Bridgewater Canal in Warrington, on 19 December.

Mr Hardy, who has completed two operational tours of Afghanistan, said there was "absolutely nothing left" of his home following the fire.

After being discharged from hospital he began work to repair the boat and his friends and family have launched a fundraising appeal to help with the costs.

The fire is believed to have started in the boat's chimney stove.

Four fire engines and two specialist vehicles were called to the scene, where firefighters spent two-and-a-half hours tackling the flames, according to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

"As soon as I approached my boat, I could see flames coming out of the front windows," Mr Hardy, 39, said.

"Everything I owned was on the boat so my natural human instinct was to put it out and I tried to tackle it myself, but I couldn't."

He was taken to hospital after inhaling the smoke and was discharged on Boxing Day.

"It didn't quite sink in," Mr Hardy said, following the fire.

"There was absolutely nothing left. I'm currently in a hotel, which is a roof over my head and I'm very grateful for."

He said it was "going to take quite a bit to make the boat liveable again and I'm really grateful to everyone helping me."

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