Bench with a view - at last

Now the bench faces the canal instead of the hedge behind.

Visitors to the Llangollen Canal between Oswestry and Ellesmere can now enjoy scenic views of the waterway, three years after a bench was installed facing not the canal but a hedge.

Local people were dumbfounded when British Waterways put a bench on the towpath at Lower Frankton with its back to the canal. Bosses explained at the time that the decision was taken for safety reasons.

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They were concerned that because of the slope of the ground, people might slip into the water as they went to sit down.

But recently workmen arrived on the canalside, excavated a flat piece of ground close to the bridge then turned the bench round to face the waterway.

Carole Main, who lives nearby, said she could not believe it when the workers moved on site.

"At the time we all thought it was ridiculous to put in a bench facing, not the picturesque canal, but a hedge," she said.

"To have taken almost three years to decide to turn the bench around is amazing. But it is much better for those wanting to sit and enjoy the countryside."

Already people are taking advantage of the newly sited canalside furniture to take a breather during a walk along the canal.

Yesterday visitors to Shropshire from mid Wales used the bench for their picnic lunch, complete with sausages cooked on a camping stove.

When the bench was first positioned, British Waterways said: "In an ideal world we obviously place benches to maximise the view. However, at this particular spot, accessibility and safety were a major consideration.

"We could not have people climbing up the embankment to sit down, nor could we place the bench in the way of the footpath, gate access or where boats tie up."

By Sue Austin

The bench can now be used properly as it faces the canal. Enjoying the sunshine are clockwise, from left, John Roberts, Mary Williams, Joyce Ellis, Isfryn Williams and Gwynn Ellis, with Jo Wilson and Carole Main.

The bench used to face the wrong way.

Workmen have excavated a flat piece of ground close to the bridge then turned the bench round to face the waterway.