Restoration work under way at Braunston Canal

The Canal & River Trust, which cares for 2,000 miles of the nation’s historic waterways, has started its five-month winter maintenance programme on rivers and canals in England and Wales.

At Braunston, the canal has been drained so the old lock gates can be lifted out and new gates installed and 200-year-old brickwork carefully restored.

The towpath will remain open during the works, which are expected to be completed mid-December.

Other works taking part across the country will see skilled craftsmen painstakingly repair historic canal walls, locks and bridges as well as installing new lock gates at certain locks.

Sarah Rudy, from the Canal & River Trust, said: “The canal at Braunston is an important part of the area’s rich heritage and each year it’s enjoyed by thousands of people either on the water or the towpath.

“These works are all about caring for the canal so that it can continue to play an important role in people’s daily lives for many years to come.

“If we didn’t carry out works such as these then boats couldn’t visit the area and local people wouldn’t have a safe, enjoyable place to get away from it all.”

The Canal & River Trust carries out a year-round programme of works to maintain and repair the canals and rivers in its care and many of the biggest projects are carried out during the winter months to minimise the impact on waterway users.

For more details visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk.