Monmouthshire And Brecon Canal Reopens After Six Months

After six months and the comforting application of about £1 million of money, work to repair a section of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal has been completed after it had been  damaged by storms during the winter.

£1 million well spent on the Mon and Brec

As part of the works, The Canal & River Trust installed more than 500 pins measuring 32ft (10m) long into two areas of the embankment in the area around Llanfoist in the Brecon Beacons. The pins helped to stabilise the canal edge after torrential rain caused it to slip down the hillside. The repairs were part-funded by public donations and the Welsh government.

The slippage was first noticed in late December but the wettest winter on record made the damage worse. Repairs started in February and the 200-year-old waterway reopened to boats in April, but the scale of the damage meant further work was needed to reinforce the surrounding areas.

As well as the pins, a mesh wall has been put in place to try and prevent any future movement.  The towpath, which was closed while work was carried out, has now been reopened.

Vince Moran, operations director at Canal & River Trust which looks after the canal, said the job was "massive" and specialised. "The canal is hugely important to the local community and its economy, so we're delighted the project has gone so well," he said. "We worked quickly to deal with the problem when the wet weather, which disrupted so much of the country, hit us."

Tourism minister Edwina Hart said she was pleased the canal was back in working order and ready to welcome visitors over the summer holidays.

The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is 35 miles (56km) long and supports 390 jobs and it estimated to contribute £17m to the Welsh economy each year.

More about the canal