Section of Oswestry canal closed for emergency repairs

The repair work at Aston Locks, near Queens Head, Oswestry, is in the middle of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and has to be carefully planned to minimise the impact on the environment and animal life.

Waterways manager Wendy Capelle, from the Canal & River Trust, said: "This is a great opportunity for people to see the rest of the canal while this emergency work is carried out.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the work, but this is a 200-year-old canal and repair work needs to be carried out.

"It is made more difficult in this location because of the Site of Special Scientific Interest and we have to balance the work being carried out against the disturbance to the conservation area."

The stretch of canal will be closed for the foreseeable future, but an updated schedule will be issued on Friday.

Specialist contractors visited the locks to see exactly what work needs to be done and have drawn up designs for the repair works.

Before work began they also had to get special approval to allow them to carry out the repairs because of the area's designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Last month temporary repairs were made between lock one and two which stabilised the failing wall until the full repair work started.

Until the repairs to Aston Locks are completed, the Navigation Inn, Maesbury, is offering a taxi service for boaters arriving at the current temporary end of navigation at Queen's Head.

Transport will leave Queen's Head at 5.45pm, returning from the Navigation Inn at 9pm. The cost is £2.50 per person for the return seven-mile trip, including a free drink when ordered with a meal.

Walkers are still able to pass the repair site and see the work being done to fix the leaks.