A CAPSIZED houseboat dubbed Burnham’s Titantic is turning the quay into a joke, it is claimed.

The Llys Helig, which stood and functioned as a houseboat in the River Crouch on Burnham Quay for 13 years, slipped onto its right side in March and has stayed that way ever since.

It is still not known what caused the boat to topple over but residents have called on harbour and council authorities to have it repaired.

At a Burnham Town Council meeting resident Ian Corbett said: “The situation with the Llys Helig, or so I like to call it, the Smalltanic, has still not progressed.

“If it’s left to simply lie there, the quay could quickly turn into a laughing stock.

“There’s wreckage floating into the river, and the mud is getting more contaminated. It could quickly become a health hazard.

"Passing rowers and sailors could be a risk of hitting the debris."

The owners of the boat, Bob and Liz Tippett, now live in London and hadn’t lived on the boat for several months before it capsized.

Nick Skeens, of Burnham South Ward, said: “I’ve been in contact with the boat owner; he’s been given a great deal of paperwork and there’s been a number of bureaucratic issues preventing progress.

“As a town council we should take responsibility to ensure this gets done. Burnham mayor Bob Calver said: “The process of the Llys Helig’s repairs is a very complex and difficult one. Everything is being done to move it forward.”

Maldon District Council is also working with the boat’s owners.

The owners of the boat were contacted but did not respond for comment when asked what they were doing to solve the problem.