MIDDLEWICH’S canal network is set to reopen before Christmas.

As previously reported, the Trent and Mersey Canal near Croxton Lane, part of the ‘Cheshire Ring’, was shut in September after being ravaged by storms.

Canal & River Trust contractors May Gurney worked fast to prevent the enbankment collapsing and the Guardian was invited on site to see how the £500,000 project was getting on.

Torrential rain caused the River Dane to flow faster which eroded the foundation between the river and canal and caused the retaining wall of the 200-year-old canal to sink.

“It could have breached but we got here before it did,” said Paul Brown, project manager.

“So really this was prevention work before it gave way.”

Ten contractors are currently working on site with permission from Croxton Hall Farm.

The project has so far involved raising the walls of the canal by half a metre to a height of 2.9metres and creating ‘rock armour’ called ‘rip-rap’ to stop the river eroding the bottom of the enbankment.

An additional weir is also being created to help water flow away if the canal level rises.

“It’s basically like an overflow drain in a bath,” added Paul.

The repair work has also required 700 tons of clay and around 20 trees to be felled.

The closure at Croxton Flash and a major breach at the embankment at Dutton Hollow, near Preston Brook, caused an 11 mile section of the canal to be isolated and it is estimated that 400 boats are still trapped.

Paul said: “We hope to get the canal open by early December and the work will be completely finished before Christmas.

“It’s unfortunate that this has happened but it’s fortunate timing as this is the end of the season so it’s not been as catastrophic as it could have been.”

The Middlewich scheme is the first phase and then Paul and his team will move on to Dutton Hollow.

An appeal has been launched to help with the repair bill as the Canal & River Trust is a charity. Around £13,000 has been raised so far.

The project is currently being covered by the charity’s contingency fund but Paul admitted that it could have a knock-on effect on non-essential maintenance jobs next year.

Anyone wishing to support the emergency appeal can log on to canalrivertrust.org.uk/breach or text BREACH to 70800.