BUSINESSMAN Jeremy Tyrrell is set to clash head-on with the city s sailing club over controversial plans to allow narrowboats cruising and mooring rights on Roswell Lakes in the next few days. Worried club officials have threatened legal action if Mr Tyrr

BUSINESSMAN Jeremy Tyrrell is set to clash head-on with the city's sailing club over controversial plans to allow narrowboats cruising and mooring rights on Roswell Lakes in the next few days.

Worried club officials have threatened legal action if Mr Tyrrell breaks the terms of their lease, which they claim gives them sole navigation rights to the water.

But Mr Tyrrell, who will lodge up to five planning applications for the lakes within the next six weeks, plans to allow boats to start using the water from June 1.

He has also taken firm bookings from boat owners visiting the Inland Waterways Festival at St Ives on the August Bank Holiday weekend and will offer them moorings either at Ely Marina or on Roswell Lakes.

The news has angered members of Ely Sailing Club, who want to protect their sailing rights to the lakes and plan to use the water over that weekend.

"We cannot physically stop him," said the club's rear commodore, Gary Ungless, "but we will take legal action if that is what it requires in the best interests of the club.

"We feel this is being imposed upon us. We don't wish to stop Mr Tyrrell putting some moorings up there, as long as it doesn't affect the sailing club.

"We were impressed originally with Mr Tyrrell's plans but statements he has made and leaflets he has published, offering deep water moorings, have knocked our confidence. We feel that we