Watch Lancashire Police raid Wheelton canal boat for 'severed' hand but get a surprise

Police descended on Wheelton canal yesterday after being informed by a member of the public that a 'severed hand' had been found.

An eyewitness told the Post: "Yesterday on the Wheelton canal five police attended a boat to proceed with a 'welfare check' on boat linnet after proceeding through Wheelton with sirens. "Three stood watching and, whilst the gentleman in question was nowhere to be found, - two police officers broke into the boat.

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"After breaking the man's boat and the rude intrusion it turns out that they had actually targeted the wrong boat!" The video shows three police officers using what appears to be a ram to gain access to the boat to check on the owner's welfare. In an even more bizarre turn of events, it transpired it was a fake hand left over from Halloween.

The eyewitness jested: "So after all that two police cars with sirens, five coppers, a busted barge and a Halloween hand. You just can't make up a story like this!

"The hand luckily ran out of batteries so can no longer crawl along the Wheelton towpath.

Lancashire Police have been approached for comment.