Crackdown on river boat licences

River inspectors are checking boats for valid licences

River inspectors are to continue patrolling leisure waterways to ensure boat owners are displaying licences.

Environment Agency staff are carrying out their annual licence crackdown on waterways in Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire.

"Anyone trying to evade paying may well get caught and taken to court," river inspector Roy Smith said.

"It is a requirement for boats to have a current certificate and registration number while on the waterways."

The Environment Agency is urging boaters to display their registration number in a visible place.

"It is an offence not to display a current boat certificate and registration number at all times, but it also takes up a lot of our time to run checks," Mr Smith said.

"If boaters display their registration numbers, it will save us time and we can concentrate on finding those who do not have a licence."

Money from the sale of boat licences is used by the Environment Agency to fund vital maintenance works to repair and improve the waterways around the region.