VOLUNTEERS restoring a canal in Powys have ticked off a major job ahead of an October deadline by completing 330 metres of towpath.

A second September work party from the Shropshire Union Canal volunteers say they have produced an amazing completion to what seemed to be an impossible task in August, with the 330 metres of towpath has now been boarded with parallel lines of shuttering to retain the stone base.

It was boarded and large stones have also been applied to the metre above the block paved channel, to complete the distance, up to towpath level, while soil was added onto the stones, and on either side of the new towpath, to encourage the growth of vegetation.

A spokesman for the restoration group said: "The Canal and River Trust deadline for completing the towpath, shaping and lining, of the channel, is the beginning of October.

"The clay dam that is retaining thousands of gallons of water in Crickheath Basin, has to be removed.

"This will be possible, due to Canal and River Trust installing a synthetic dam in front of the existing clay version, before the end of September, thus enabling its removal during the first October work party, using a large digger, from the off side, which will be a very tricky operation.

"Clearance will expose the concrete base and sides of the Basin, and allow the waterproofing layers of liner in the channel, to be sealed to these surfaces.

"These final 10 metres will then be paved with building-blocks to weight down the layers of material.

"The pace at which progress has been made over the last two months has been astonishing, and is no small part due to new female and male volunteers arriving, including a 16-year-old student, who is undertaking part of his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, with the Society.

"The Trust intends to fill the channel with water to test the section in November, with a view to opening the canal for navigation next year at around Easter.

"The Heritage Lottery Funding expires in October 2022 which adds to the pressure to complete the work on time."

Main channel work will begin in 2023 and link with the new Schoolhouse Bridge, which hopefully will be reinstated by the Restore the Montgomery Group by next year.

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