British Waterways has taken steps to evict a long-standing member of Oxford's boating community for unpaid mooring fee debts.

Pierre Davis, 37, was targeted on Thursday as part of a crackdown on canal licence evaders, but he was given a stay of execution after attempts to tow his battered boat failed.

British Waterways, the body which manages the country's inland waterways, attempted to tow his boat along the canal, at the bottom of Frenchay Road, to Oxford's Castle Mill Boatyard, where it would have been impounded until he paid the debt -estimated at several thousands of pounds - but Mr Davis untied a chain and set his boat free.

After half an hour, the organisation gave up trying to remove the boat citing "health and safety risks", but promised to return. British Waterways would not confirm how much Mr Davis owed, but said it was chasing debts dating back to 1999.

The towpath stand-off involved a British Waterways solicitor who filmed the episode, two bailiffs, five police officers, two men in a tow boat and a number of fellow boat owners who had come out to support Mr Davis.

One of his supporters, Gerry Reilly, 38, said: "He is a special case, he is part of the community and he was here before people even started paying rates. It's a bit heavy-handed - no-one has really taken into consideration his vulnerability."

Another, Helen Fraser, 41, added: "I have been living here for five years and he's been absolutely fine. They are making him homeless, but the majority of people support him being here."

Locals recall colourful Mr Davis living on the Oxford Canal near Jericho for at least 20 years. At one stage, Mr Davis appeared frightened as his battered craft was being towed away, but said: "I keep it tidy, I have no problem with rats - they are trying to remove it illegally and are disturbing my peace. I am here legally as far as I am concerned."

Mr Davis came to the attention of British Waterways as part of a campaign to reduce illegal mooring. The organisation claimed that since 1999, Mr Davis had repeatedly ignored demands for licence and mooring fees.

Oxford County Court upheld British Waterways' claim and gave permission for the boat to be removed. British Waterways' spokesman Murray Geddes said: "We refrained from removing the boat today on health and safety grounds.

"British Waterways has instructed our solicitors to make the appropriate application to court as soon as possible so we can proceed to remove the boat.

"British Waterways is committed to enforcing its licence and mooring conditions and the removal of illegally moored boats is part of a South East crackdown on moorings and licence evaders."