The former owner of a 33ft boat crashed by Sid Owen has laughed off claims made by the ex-EastEnders star a 'dodgy fan belt' caused the vessel to sink.
The boat is currently submerged in Sunbury Lock at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, after the accident which took place on Monday - just 20 minutes after Sid was handed the keys in a Surbiton pub, according to the man who sold it to him, Mark Hayes.
Mr Hayes claims Sid's business partner purchased the 'Rolling on the River' last Thursday with the intention of renting it out to day-trippers.
But sources close to the soap veteran, 54, claim a mechanical fault caused the cruiser to drift into a river bank and hit a tree, tearing a hole in the hull, during its first outing with the actor behind the wheel.
After crashing the boat, Sid was seen fleeing the scene and witnesses claim he looked worse for wear.
Insiders said that Sid is now locked in a 'dispute' with the former owner amid uncertainty as to who will pay for the ship to be removed from the Thames, and potentially face a hefty fine from the Environment Agency for abandoning a semi-submerged boat.
But speaking to The Daily Mail, Mr Hayes says the Ricky Butcher star is solely to blame for the boat's demise.
Mark Hayes, the former owner of a 33ft boat crashed by Sid Owen has laughed off claims made by the ex-EastEnders star a 'dodgy fan belt' caused the vessel to sink
The boat is currently submerged in Sunbury Lock on the Thames at Walton, Surrey, after the accident which took place on Monday - just 20 minutes after Sid was handed the keys
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Mr Hayes says the Ricky Butcher star is solely to blame for the boat's demise - which happened just 20 minutes after he was handed the keys to the vessel
He said: 'Sid drove the boat like an idiot, that's why it sank.
'He took the boat for a spin about 20 minutes after I gave him the keys after he'd been on the beers.
'I sent Sid a few videos showing him how to operate the vessel and told him not to even attempt to drive it until he watched them.
'But he clearly ignored my advice and just floored it, which forced the back of the boat to dip down and smash something in the water.'
Mr Hayes claims after receiving a panicked call from Sid, he sent a mechanic down to have a look at the damage and determined the gear box had been knocked out, causing the boat to sink.
The ex-owner added: 'Sid's lied, it wasn't a dodgy fan belt, it was his dodgy driving.'
A representative for Sid has been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.
Mr Hayes claims Sid paid £10,000 for the boat, not £30,000 as originally reported, and says he has the sales invoice and receipts to prove it.
He also alleges Sid did not have relevant driving experience, saying the former I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! star had only previously used 'go-boats on Kingston river.'
Sid purchased the boat with a business partner with the intention of renting it out to day-trippers.
An Instagram account advertising the boat's VIP tours shows photos of the vessel's interiors and of it moored up at a marina with instructions to 'DM for prices and dates.'
The second-hand vessel, which is worth £115,000 new, is now a 'total write off' having gradually submerged into the Thames.
One witness said: 'There was an almighty banging noise.
'Next thing, the boat has run aground close to the river bank and someone was climbing out — I couldn't believe it when I realised who it was.
'He's very recognisable, and I just knew him straight away as Ricky from EastEnders.
'It looked as though he'd had a few beers — and he didn't stick around to deal with it. He was quickly on his way!'
Join the discussion
Should boat owners be held responsible for accidents caused by inexperienced or reckless drivers?
Blaming Owen, Mr Hayes said: 'Sid drove the boat like an idiot, that's why it sank. He took the boat for a spin about 20 minutes after I gave him the keys after he'd been on the beers.
Owen and a business partner had bought the boat for £30,000 with the intention of using it for pleasure tours, renting it out to day trippers as a business venture
The actor faces the loss of the money he paid for the vessel - and potentially a hefty fine from the Environment Agency for abandoning a semi-submerged boat in the Thames
Sid's acting career took off in 1988 when he joined EastEnders, before he first left in 2012, after his character broke up with Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).
He made a comeback for guest appearances in 2022 and 2023 after a whole decade away and reprised his role as the mechanic, before leaving screens again in 2023.
His last acting job aside from EastEnders was in the short film Angels And Cowboys, which premiered back in 2016.
He has made a number of reality TV appearances over the years on shows such as Celebrity MasterChef and Channel 4's Banged Up.