GENTLY does it. Engineers begin the delicate task of winching a sunken narrowboat out of the Thames at Botley Bridge yesterday.

The mission to recover the stricken vessel One Old Peculier was finally completed late in the afternoon by workers from the Environment Agency.

EA spokesman Dan Taylor said: “It has gone as well as we could have expected. The plan was to have the boat out of the water by the weekend and, although it’s been a very long day, we’ve managed it.”

Now the boat will be transported to a shipping yard for owner John Simmonds to collect.

Mr Simmonds, who has Asperger’s syndrome, was devastated when the boat left its moorings on Monday after what he believes was an act of sabotage. He had only left his £60,000 boat for half an hour to get some lunch but returned to find it adrift.

The 35-year-old, who is now staying with friends, has since received an “overwhelming” number of pledges  including a cheque for £25,000.