Dedicated volunteers of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust have enjoyed another record breaking year breathing new life into the former waterway.

Over the last year the local branch of the trust has arranged almost 60 work parties around Chippenham, Calne and Melksham, and volunteers have donated 4,600 hours of their time, a huge increase on past years, and equivalent to £60,000 if contractors had been used.

Work party organiser Doug Harris said: “This is a fantastic feat. We are often joined by more than 20 volunteers – including many new recruits – which allows us to achieve so much more at a much faster pace.

“Work parties have taken place at Forest Farm and Queenfield Farm on the edge of Melksham, as well as Chaveywell Bridge in Calne, but the focus of our attention is on the former line around Pewsham.

“We have cleared rubbish, rubble, tree stumps and undergrowth while maintaining the towpath and restoring spillweirs and culverts.

“This has given us the opportunity to move onto the next stage of restoration, dredging canal bed before it is refilled later this summer.”

The ultimate aim is to restore the line from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames and Severn Canal near Cricklade and the Thames near Abingdon.

Anyone interested in volunteering should call Doug on (01249) 652236 or email doug.harris@wbct.org.uk