Barge retirement plan 'destroyed by arson'
BBCA man has said he lost his future when his barge was destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
Graham Bennett returned to his boat near the Tees Barrage in Stockton-on-Tees on 9 January to find his home wrecked, just days after it had been ransacked.
Mr Bennett said it was his "future" and "retirement plan", adding he does not have the "health or strength to save her" after it took years to renovate.
Cleveland Police has launched an investigation into the fire.
Most of Mr Bennett possessions were destroyed with the boat, including family photographs.
"Everything was in it and it's gone," he said.
The boat, originally called Phoenix, took years to turn into a home.
Mr Bennett had to rebuild the engine and redo the steelwork.
"A lot of people thought I was crazy and it would never go again," he said.
Now he says he is "really worried" about how he is going to salvage the barge from the water and pay for its removal.
"I've lost the boat," he said. "They took my future away."
Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].