A canal boating dad who takes trips with his son has spoken of his difficulty travelling through Manchester and Oldham on the Rochdale Canal.

Manchester dad Daniel Farnworth, 42, said his trip up the Rochdale Canal was marred by rubbish, as well as difficulties with water levels.

The father, who has kitted out his boat with central heating and a washing machine so that he can live on it much of the time, bought the boat from Tamworth after splitting up with his former partner.

Now, Daniel likes to take his 15-year-old son Harry, who is autistic, on trips in the boat.

Despite travelling on myriad canals including Ashton, Macclesfield, and Staffordshire & Worcestershire, Daniel said the Rochdale was the dirtiest he’d been on.

Additionally, Daniel had issues requesting assistance on the canal, after he was told one week’s notice was not enough to get help from the Canal & River Trust, which manages the waterway – though he stressed he did not want to criticise the organisation.

The Oldham Times: David took his son Harry on the tripDavid took his son Harry on the trip (Image: David Farnworth)

Daniel said: “I bought the boat in Tamworth, and my son now lives in Haslingden, and I work in Bury and my girlfriend lives in Leeds, so I thought if I get the boat to Hebden Bridge it’s halfway between my kids and my girlfriend, and Hebden Bridge is a nice place.

“I’ve had a few difficulties on the trip, I requested help through Failsworth and I gave CRT a week’s notice as I’ve got a disabled child with me, but they couldn’t get any volunteers to help us through, which I thought was a bit poor, to be honest.

“We got stuck at Miles Platting and they had to fix the lock.

“The next day they came and fixed it, and the guys who turned up from CRT to fix the paddle were a good set of lads and they said they’d have to manage the water levels and we’ll help you through the locks, which they did.

“It’s not all been negative.”

The Oldham Times: Rubbish by the lockRubbish by the lock (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

Daniel hit out at people dumping rubbish in the canal in the Miles Platting and Newton Heath areas, getting slightly better in the Failsworth part but still worse than other canals he’s traversed.

Daniel said: “The state of the rubbish, it’s not the Canal & River Trusts’ fault, it’s the residents who live in the houses.

“I had to clean my propellor five times within about three miles, normally I have to clean it once a month, if that.

“The CRT are a charity and they can’t be expected to clean up after houses, it’s not viable.”

Daniel said he would not be attempting the Rochdale Canal again, adding: “I wouldn’t even want to do it with another boat, and four members of the CRT helping.”

The Oldham Times: David had to clean his propellor multiple timesDavid had to clean his propellor multiple times (Image: David Farnworth)

The father added that everyone he had met on his trip had been friendly, and thanked the members of CRT staff who helped him on his journey.

The Canal & River Trust was contacted for this story.