There was traffic chaos on the River Thames when two boats ended up wedged in Abingdon Lock.

It was closed for three hours and there was a build up of narrow boats and cruisers on either side of the lock.

The problem began when a narrow boat and a cruiser tried to get out of the lock together instead of one at a time and became wedge between the lock walls.

The lock keeper and boat users tried in vain to separate the boats and called in the Environment Agency who used a winch to prise the vessels apart.

The narrow boat was gradually pulled back into the lock, allowing the cruiser to move out into the open water.

No-one was hurt and there was only minor damaged to both craft that continued their journeys.

The incident began at 1.30pm on Saturday and it was not until 4.30pm that the lock was re-opened to river traffic. The footpath had to be closed during the rescue operation.

By the time the lock was up and running again more than 30 river craft had built up on either side and the jam was not cleared until 6pm.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The rule is that the first boat to enter the lock is the first to leave unless the lock keeper directs otherwise.

"Clearly in this case there was some confusion between the people on board the two craft with the result that an inconvenient and embarrassing situation arose."