A HOUSEBOAT owner’s life on a Hampshire river has been wrecked after his vessel sank.

Water cascaded in to the 100ft barge Corrie while David Hickling was watching television.

The Dutch boat was left grounded on the riverbed at Salterns Boat Yard in Bursledon, where the 54-year-old has lived with his wife Holly for 19 years.

Now the couple are considering moving to a house – even though they are confident the vessel can be returned to its former glory.

The boat sprung a small leak earlier this week, but was kept under control with onboard pump systems.

But the situation suddenly worsened on Tuesday night and fire crews were called as water gushed in to the living area, wrecking much of the interior.

Mr Hickling said: “It is a major incident and we can’t sleep on board at the moment.

“A lot of stuff will have to go to the tip and there will be a massive clean-up operation.

“At the moment we are hoping for a temporary repair so we can get our lives organised and then we are planning to do something a bit more formal about it.”

The drama comes three months after a separate houseboat was swamped in water under a mile away at Bursledon’s Cabin Boat Yard.

The Woolston, owned by two 75-year-old pals, came to rest on the bed of Hamble River after rotten wood on the vessel gave way.

In the latest incident, fire crews from Hightown and Hamble were called to the scene on Tuesday night and spent an hour helping Mr Hickling to move personal items out of the boat.

They returned yesterday afternoon at low tide to help pump water out of the vessel so the leak could be fixed.

Now the couple are weighing up their options having already thought about giving up life on the water.

“We were thinking of selling her,” said Mr Hickling.

“We have been here 19 years and were thinking of going ashore. My wife retired recently and we were looking for something a little more modest.

“It is a great life here – when the water stays the right side of the steel.”