Massive volunteer project means picturesque part of canal will reopen
Hundreds of hours have been spent by volunteers on rebuilding one of the most beautiful waterways in Britain.
And now the recently restored section of the Montgomery Canal, near Oswestry, will be opened to the public later this summer.
Volunteers were recently given special permission to take boats onto the water but the Canal and River Trust, which manages Britain's Waterways, said it would be some weeks before the stretch could be officially opened.
Ian Easby, waterway manager at the Canal and River Trust, said the canal had to be commissioned before it could be opened and engineers had to check for leaks or other problems.
"We're delighted this section of the Montgomery Canal has opened thanks to the hard work and dedication of many volunteers from the Shropshire Union Canal Society, who have worked tirelessly for the last six years in restoring this section of the Montgomery Canal," he said.
"The Montgomery Canal is one of the most beautiful waterways in Britain. For the first time in nearly 80 years, boats will now be able to navigate another 450 metres of the canal which is another big step towards full restoration."
At a recent meeting of the Montgomery Canal, forum members heard about the restoration Michael Limbrey, chairman of Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, said: "We applaud the achievements of volunteers of Waterway Recovery Group and Shropshire Union Canal Society whose members, of all ages, have come from far and wide to restore this unique canal as part of our national waterway network.
"Researchers have shown a restored canal can bring social, economic and environmental benefits.
