“I have been reading posts on various stories so far and there is one common theme throughout nearly every one.

Racisim, you racist! your racist, its ok he's just showing how racist he is - come on people it is surely the most over used retort to an arguement on this web page.
Can we not respond to someone's 'controversial' comment with something other than that? If someones opinion is not that of your own does that really make them racist? Don't get me wrong there has been some things that have been said that bordered racism but they are few and very far between.

It's a comments page for people to comment on, if you don't agree with something then fine, make your point but don't just play the race card - it's getting really boring now!

Coincidently on topic, I used to own a boat and whilst I've never made the mistake of going onto that water; If I had and my children were on the boat I'd have no hesitation in calling 999. It is an emergency and thats what they are there for.”

“Mick, if your posts are an example of you being 'ok' I would hate to see you getting upset. 'small minded', 'miserable' 'un-British' - how bad does it get if you don't consider those personal insults? (of course someone else obviously did, as I was not responsible for that particular post being removed!)

I still stand by my opinion that just because you call it a joke, doesn't mean it isn't racist. Lets just accept that we don't share the same sense of humour, among other things.

And for the record, who exactly do you think 'my lot' is ("we have to laugh with your lot")? I'm fascinated...”

“To the most honorable people of this Derby, please accept my most humblest of apologies for not knowing my starboard from my landlubber, but I did think that if I turned right near the Isle of France I would be near the place called Benefit land, but unfortunately for the rest of my unfortunate crew we crashed into a small place called The Vash in Linconnland, we then unfortunately met a very nice fellow from Cornwall ( who turned out to be Polish) who offered to bring us to the land of milk and benefits Derby, but we had to do what you British call "a runner " for fear of being cought and severely punished by force feeding bacon butties every morning in custody, but now the rest is history as my vessel turned the wrong way on account I dont know my starboard from my landlubber and we were stuck on a reef in the mighty river Trent and now we are found out.”

“Sarah, Derby. Cmon girl, Its not as bad as that, Angela, Derby, has been ok about it, I wasnt pointing fingers or being a nasty BNP man, How about this one then.........Iv just been chucked out and banned from a Muslim clothes shop.........Why old boy.?..........I asked them for a bomber jacket....... Touchy Buggers .!!! ..........Now is that a racist bigoted nasty type of joke or good British humour ? You tell me people.”

“Some people need to grow up. There were 2 children aboard so any parent would have called 999 in their position. I would have!”

“I try to be as broad minded as possible when discussing religion or religious issues, especially when talking to people with no decorum of humour regarding having a laugh at themselves through through the eyes of a non believer or infidel as the Muslims call us, It really isn't hard to laugh at religion if you dont believe in it to begin with, I suppose we are going to be besieged with complaints from the Islamic faith of Derby, as they cant laugh at any thing remotely poking fun at their religious views and the funny clothes they wear, I personally cannot understand, why in a free and democratic western society, having fought on the beaches, and in the air where against the oppressors of freedom, and the right of freedom of speech and thought, we fight the Taliban, and have fought Saddam Hussein, all in the name of freedom, and the rights of democratic principals that living in this democracy of ours in our country we have to put up and shut up regarding religious issues, this is wrong, and I hope that one day soon, some one will have the courage to stand up for the British and British principals of free speech, so we can say what we want.”

“Irish Mick, I read your comment and did find it funny, the posts were nearly all berating those on the barge and saying they should be charged for calling out the emergency services, yours was, I think, an attempt to lighten the mood somewhat. Pity others thought differently and had it removed, perhaps they should have read it as it was intended, a bit of fun.”

“There is no malice from me towards individuals wanting to make a new life Sarah, but you have to understand that the british do find humour, from the most awful happenings, I just linked the two items from these pages and bobs yer uncle, I never intended to isolate any person of people, but you have to get a sense of humour Sarah and really lighten up, as I have had to do personally, because of all the Irish jokes aimed at us Irish, we have to laugh with your lot, or ww3 could have broken out, try to see humour without the nastiness Sarah, because it is all in your mind, not mine xx”

“Well, Mick, that certainly tickled my sense of humour. I think the fact your original post has been removed speaks for itself, and your questioning of my nationality speaks volumes.
I am not the world's most tolerant person (read 'small minded' and 'miserable'), I despise bigots who think racism is acceptable as long as it is disguised as a joke. Your diatribe lacked the main requirement of a joke - humour. It was merely thinly veiled racism drawing on a number of stereotypes, none of which had any connection to the story upon which you commented.
Of course you are obviously hilarious in your own circle of the 'I'm not racist but...' community, but don't try to kid yourself you are anything but. The joke, boy, is firmly on you :)”

“it's quite clear from the comments that most people being based in the middle of the country have never been on a boat and have no idea about water. if the boats caught on a sand bank in the middle of a river only an idiot would think oh it must be the same depth all the way across, because there is a sandbank it's most likely deep at the edges. also it's even mentioned as beiong fast flowing. a fast flowing river just above knee deep is enough to pull someone under an drown them so with kids you'd have to be stuid to try wading.

admittedly 4 fire engins is too much but thats not the people on the boats fault. what service should you ring to try an get your boat pulled off a sandbank on a river if not the fire service. They do cover more then just fires.

and why all these calls to say they should pay the bill. no-one else pays for calling them out, it's a national service provided through the government which we pay our taxes for. it is there for this very use.

if there was a more important call and this didn't need all the engines then they would have sent one of them from this scene to the other, it's not rocket science.

i'm wondering what happened to the boat in the end.”