WATER has been drained from the canal at Bradford on Avon for millions of pounds of restoration work to be carried out.

The Kennet and Avon Canal Partnership has employed a firm of civil engineers to carry out relining work between Bradford on Avon and the Dundas Aqueduct this winter.

The restoration work is part of a five year, £29m programme of improvements along the canal to help preserve its heritage and conserve the environment.

Project Manager John Laverick said canal relining was extremely specialised work and a lot of care had to be taken.

He said: "It requires great care to conserve flora and fauna living in the waterway environment as well as thoughtful measures to minimise disruption to local residents."

Mr Laverick said the aim was to create a sustainable navigation which would last at least another 200 years.

The work is the final stage of a four-year programme of works for the Bath valley section of the canal and will be carried out in three phases.

First, the canal has to be drained and British Waterways ecologists have the task of finding new homes for the fish and waterside plants.

The channel will then be relined with layers of stone, PVC sheeting, geo-textile material and concrete.

The canal will then be refilled and landscaped with re-planting of preserved reeds and other vegetation to restore the habitat for wildlife.

The Kennet and Avon Canal Partnership was formed in 1996 and is made up of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, British Waterways, seven local authorities and the Association of Canal Enterprises.

The Bradford on Avon branch of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, which operates from Bradford Wharf, has organised an active programme of events for the winter.

Its annual Christmas trips, the Santa Cruises, are already fully booked.

Bookings manager John Sankey said: "We are hoping there will also be a lot of interest in the corporate bookings which could include a Christmas meal on board."

A Christmas carol service has also been organised for December 9.