THE owner of the 20ft boat left on a business property has come forward.

The boat was left outside Enzio Design’s business warehouse in Brookside Street, Oswaldtwistle last Tuesday evening.

Business owner Ahmed Lorgat was amazed to find the 20ft boat ditched on his property and was appealing for help to find the people responsible.

The owner, who does not wish to be named, said he owns a unit in the area and does not have room for the boat on his land.

He said: "It's a misunderstanding, the boat hasn't been dumped.

"I inherited that boat and another one from my grandfather when he died three months ago.

"No one else could do anything with them so I took them.

"As you can see by the condition of the boat we're refurbishing it, that's why we took the windows and the furniture out.

"I think it's pretty obvious it's not been dumped, why would I do it in broad day light like that?

"It's common sense really, if we were tipping it why would we have put it so neatly in the corner like that?

"I thought the land was just waste land, maybe I should have stuck a note on saying it hadn't been dumped.

"I want to apologise to Mr Lorgat and reassure him that it is not rubbish that has been left.

"I can understand why he was worried, he must have come out and seen it and panicked."