Chirk canal tunnel closed off as historic murder probe continues

Divers from the North West Police Underwater Search team closed off the 421-metre tunnel on the Llangollen Canal, north of the Chirk Aqueduct, from around 10am to midday yestereday.

The closure of the tunnel, which has a complete towpath inside, led to a long queue of barges and narrowboats which were forced to wait until the police search was complete.

Terry Evans, who lives near the canal, said: "North Wales Police closed off the complete tunnel for two hours, all the way from the railway station area to the aqueduct.

"It is a very long tunnel, about a quarter-of-a-mile long.

"I've never seen so many barges backed up, there was 'no entry' to the tunnel at all and the queue stretched for a mile, all the way from the Poacher's Pocket to the tunnel.

"I have never seen so many boats in one place.

"Those using the narrowboats were a bit frustrated because they were trying to get to their destinations, including Ellesmere and Whitchurch, by certain times and faced long delays getting there.

"There were no warning notices that I was aware of.

"Some of the narrowboat users got out and sat on the bank waiting for the search to be over, while others lit barbecues as lunch time approached.

"The divers haven't been back yet today and the canal seems clear so far."

North Wales Police teams are leading the investigation after receiving information that an unidentified man had been murdered and disposed of on the outskirts of Wrexham.

Last Thursday, police were spotted searching the Chirk Bank stretch of the Llangollen canal and based themselves at the car park of the Poachers pub.

The previous week a specialist team was called in to work in and around the Llangollen Canal at Moreton, north of Oswestry.

It followed an extensive search of a smallholding less than a mile away at Henlle, near Gobowen.

Woodland on the outskirts of Bwlchgwyn, near Wrexham, has also been subject to a search during the investigation.