Towpath and bank repairs for 'much loved' canal

Repairs are being carried out to a part of a canal in Warwickshire to rebuild a towpath and part of a bank.

Sheet piling that was installed in the 80s has deteriorated, causing parts of the towpath to erode into the Oxford Canal, near Napton Locks, the Canal & River Trust said.

The work will see about 60m (196ft) of the old piling removed and replaced and the eroded section rebuilt, and a fresh stone towpath surface will be laid.

Henriette Breukelaar from the trust said the waterway was much‑loved and repairing it was "about caring for this shared heritage while ensuring it remains safe and enjoyable to use".

Work will also be carried out at near the village of Flecknoe, where a section of the bank will be rebuilt to its original height to stop water leaking from the canal, the trust said.

The canal opened in stages from 1774 and is one of the country's most significant historic waterways, the trust said, having a significant role in the Industrial Revolution.

"This stretch of canal plays an important role in people's daily lives, whether that's boaters navigating the canal, walkers and cyclists using the towpath, or visitors simply enjoying the peace and wildlife the canal brings," Breukelaar, the trust's West MIdlands director, added.

"By investing in these essential repairs, we're helping to improve the canal's reliability, reduce water loss, and make sure it continues to offer health and wellbeing benefits for local people."

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