Did we get to watch Spooks? NO!
At about 9.40 after some disturbance outside I had occasion to make my first ever 999 call, thanks to a potentially violent situation involving the occupants of the boat behind.
In the event, it seemed there was no threat to us or anyone else but rather sadly the situation involved a very disturbed young woman. (Who, we have now found out, is being given some proper help)
We had given the Police our exact position - near Goodacres Bridge - no 13 on the Ashby Canal, but said that the nearest road acess would be at the Lime Kilns pub on the A5 at Hinckley - Bridge 15 - about 2/3 mile away. It actually took them around 50 minutes to arrive (although that did include a 15 minute walk down the towpath in the dark), but we learned that this was only by chance because a car with 2 female officers had actually been despatched to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, ie. completely the wrong direction, but an alert traffic cop on the M6, listening in, had realised this and pointed them the right way. Eventually, all three arrived and sorted out the situation.
So, everything settled. Did we sleep well? - no. We've moored overnight in the centre of Manchester, Birmingham and other urban areas and always felt safe, but out in the countryside we suddenly felt quite vulnerable. What if we'd needed an ambulance? Lesson learnt - in the countryside, moor near to a road bridge.
I'm also planning on writing to the Police in Leicestershire & Warwickshire to suggest that their emergency call staff have access to a Nicholsons or other canal maps.
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