Water 'deliberately' drained from part of canal

A charity has been working to raise water levels along a stretch of canal in Leicestershire after reserves are thought to have been drained deliberately.

Water levels dropped in a matter of hours last weekend along the Grand Union Canal, off Welford Road, near Kilby Lock.

The Canal and River Trust believes it was a "deliberate act" in which the paddles, also known as sluices, within Kilby Lock were opened, "draining the water out of this section of the canal".

A spokesperson added: "Boat movements are still restricted in that area due to the drought, so there would have been no legitimate reason for anyone to open the paddles."

"Our teams have been working to raise the water levels, but the reservoirs that feed this section are still low so we don't have a lot of water available."

The environment is also a site of Special Scientific Interest, causing concern to the charity's ecological and fisheries teams.

"We're monitoring the situation carefully and we'll continue to try and get water back in this section as quickly as we can," they said.

"Despite recent rainfall, reservoirs feeding this section of canal are still low - so it's incredibly frustrating to see precious water wasted in this way.

"Volunteers have been working tirelessly to try and manage water levels in the canal and it's very difficult to see those efforts being undermined by a mindless minority," they said.

"We're doing everything we can, but those efforts will be for nothing if some people continue to abuse the canal in this way."

Meanwhile users of the waterway have been impacted.

Paddle Plus Leicester run kayaking and canoe sessions along that stretch of water, as well as along the canal near the Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre (LOPC).

Hayley Smitham-Hopewell, the centre's education and development manager, said: "It's massively impacted Paddle Plus as they've tried to move their whole club over here.

"They've been having to travel and find volunteers, but they've had to close sessions," she said. "So there's a massive mental health and social side to it all."

Mark Beasley, from the club, said: "It's caused a lot of stress and strain to organise alternatives. For some people, it might be the only social event they have in a week, so they really missed it."

About 50 people normally attend junior and adult sessions.

"Cancellations also mean there's a financial knock-on for us and trying to move over to the LOPC just didn't work," he said.

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