Nature Features

A group campaigning for the restoration of Cromford Canal received a major boost earlier this year when heavyweight actor Brian Blessed agreed to join the fight.

The 71-year-old with the booming voice has become president of the Friends of the Cromford Canal trust as it battles to have the historic waterway returned to its former glory.

Cromford Canal

The trust wants to see the 14-mile stretch between Langley Mill and Cromford reconnected to the national waterways system and investment to improve the area around the canal banks.

Brian said he had no hesitation in getting involved as the area holds some very childhood memories.

He told Ed George: "I used to cycle here from Mexborough on my home-made Raleigh bike. I'd be so happy exploring Hathersage, Matlock and Kinder Scout.

"I would come to this canal looking for great-crested newts and for me, it was a kind-of shangri-la - it was so beautiful it felt like the centre of the earth.

"The canal is unbelievable, miraculous even. You couldn't envisage the engineering that went into building this 14-mile stretch - I don't think we even have the engineers now to pull off such a feat. I think the whole area is paradise.

"So when they asked me to be president, it almost felt like I was coming home and I've never said yes to anything so fast.

"It's going to cost about £42m but I think we are going to pull it off.

"This is now a world heritage site because the canal system is so utterly unique and I feel if we can get this right it can act as a beacon to the rest of the world.

"We could bring in all sorts of wildlife, butterfly farms, projects involving young people and the young at heart. I think if we can pull this off, it'll make God smile!"

The trust was formed in 2002 and this February it celebrated a victory when planning consent was given to transform a river diversion channel into a 1km waterway to link with the canal at Pinxton.

Now the group has to raise around £50,000 to fund the work.

Meanwhile Brian's adventurous nature means he's planning to follow up his numerous mountain-climbing escapades with an even more ambitious project.

He explained: "I've completed half of my space training at Space City in Moscow. I love adventure and I've been training in a centrifuge and MiG Fighter with a view to going into space and being a spokesman for space exploration!

"When I make it onto the International Space Station, I'd love to be able to see the Cromford Canal from all the way up there!"