BOATERS have accused waterways bosses of spoiling a city centre beauty spot by installing a wooden pontoon and floating barrier close to Isis Lock.

British Waterways installed the landing stage alongside Castle Mill Stream, to protect the waterway wall from damage. It has also inserted four 10-metre-long steel piles to create a barrier which will prevent boats from illegally mooring in the stream and large boats from being swept downstream.

However, the £90,000 scheme has upset boaters and local residents who say the works have wrecked an idyllic spot next to the Oxford Canal and are blocking access to the waterways.

Mike Hamblett, 56, from Summertown, pictured at the pontoon, said: “It was a beauty spot for everybody and they have put in this ugly, over-designed, unnecessary pontoon.”

Boater Ed Surridge called them “wrongly placed crassly insensitive blots on Oxford’s historic waterways”.

British Waterways Spokesman Sarah Ruday said: “British Waterways is currently responding to all the complaints received and we are hoping to have an announcement on the way forward in the next couple of days.

“Since installation, and following some complaints, British Waterways has agreed to make some alterations to the design of the structure.”