A 21-tonne tree has been craned out of the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal near Blaby by waterways charity Canal & River Trust.
The huge Scots Pine, which had come down during the recent stormy weather, was blocking the canal and preventing boaters and local people from being able to use the canal and towpath. Because of the size of the tree, the Canal & River Trust needed to bring in a crane and seat it on steel matting so it could be removed safely without damaging the canal bank and surrounding area.
The charity invested several thousand pounds in the removal, with local colleagues working alongside contractors to get navigation back open.
Richard Walker, contract manager at Canal & River Trust, said: “Trees falling into the canals can present us with some real challenges. Not only can they block navigation for boats, but they can cause significant damage and, because towpaths were built for horses to tow boats rather than heavy modern-day machinery, this can present several access considerations.
“We carry out proactive tree works outside of the nesting season and remove windblown branches and trees from our nation-wide network of canals year-round. With winter approaching, and a changing climate that is bringing more frequent and severe storms, we will be on-hand over the months ahead to keep navigation open.
“Our amazing canal network is 250 years old and is open to the elements. We welcome people’s support, through volunteering, donating, or spreading the word about our charity, to help us keep canals alive for years to come.”
To support Canal & River Trust, please visit: Support us | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)
