CRESTFALLEN canal volunteers have admitted defeat in their bid to remain at Bradford on Avon wharf.

Despite sending a 500-name petition to transport secretary Alistair Darling, volunteers for West Wiltshire Kennet and Avon Trust were disappointed at the response dismissing their appeal to stay in the building.

British Waterways is going ahead with its plan to rent the wharf to a commercial enterprise and interviews with six candidates will take place next week.

Officials hope to announce the winner by the end of the month, with the applicant moving into the historic building by December.

Trust volunteers will be evicted when the applicants move in and plan to take over a tiny cottage on the other side of the canal.

Volunteers have been housed in the building since extensive refurbishments in the 1970s but were charged a peppercorn rate.

The trust will now have to refurbish the dilapidated cottage to keep up their service, operating boat trips for disabled children and elderly visitors on canal boat the Barbara McLellan.

Volunteer Mary Antcliff said: "The government seemed to back British Waterways.

"We did our best and fought hard. People are making the best out of the situation but the volunteers do not want to move across the canal.

"A lot of people are not keen on making so much of an effort in case British Waterways turn round and say it will take the cottage off us in two years. Some people have left the trust in disgust."

Mike Antcliff, manager of the trust's shop based at the wharf, said they were preparing to make the move.

He said: "We are determined to provide the same service to our customers.

"We are working extremely hard to make it accessible to the disabled but it won't be easy.

"The campaign did unify everybody and we have come out of this stronger as a trust branch."

A spokesman for British Waterways said that the six applicants all submitted 'strong bids' and called the proposals 'interesting and imaginative.'