Leak likely to be the cause of Shropshire canal breach

The Canal & River Trust has released preliminary findings from its investigation into the Llangollen Canal breach at Whitchurch, Shropshire, last December.

Investigations indicate the breach likely resulted from a deep-seated, undetectable leak beneath the canal bed, coupled with a steep, sandy embankment.

This leakage is believed to have eroded material, leading to collapse.

Other factors, such as heavy rainfall or animal activity, have been ruled out, although final conclusions are pending further site inspection.

"We remain deeply sorry for the impact this event has had on boaters and the wider community"

The Trust's chief executive, Campbell Robb, acknowledged the distress caused by the breach.

He said “The breach at Whitchurch was a distressing and frightening experience for all those affected. We remain deeply sorry for the impact this event has had on boaters and the wider community and once again I’d like to thank all who responded so swiftly and generously when this event happened. We are committed to repairing the canal and reinstating navigation as soon as we can do so safely.

“While breaches of this scale remain extremely rare, we are already taking forward a number of recommendations from the investigation. We have a comparable inspection regime to organisations looking after similar infrastructure but we are augmenting this, including exploring different methods of geophysical surveying technology to better inspect beneath canal beds.”

Repair progress

Efforts to repair the canal are in progress, with plans to build a crucial access track for repairs expected to start this spring after ground investigations are completed.

Recently, 1,000 fish were safely returned to the canal after being displaced.

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