Adopt a canal in Castleton

Castleton Blue Pits Canal Group

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The Blue Pits Canal Group is now the official Canal & River Trust volunteer group for the Castleton area.

The group aims to acquire adoption status of the canal from Blue Pits Higher Lock 51 to bridge 65B on the M62 and the derelict Rochdale Canal area.

Bob Furnell, who started 'Adopt a Canal' in Littleborough and has started the Castleton group, said: “If the canal is well looked after it will encourage more canal boats to take this route and that will in turn improve the local economy.

“There is lots of debris, including trolleys and cycles, dumped in; this initiative will increase the respect for the canal.”

Group leader Rhys Wynne will be running volunteer sessions at the site every second Wednesday of the month.

They aim to plant mostly native plants to encourage endangered wildlife and recover stone work, lost cobbles and a forgotten garden.

Mr Furnell said: “People need to learn about the wildlife and history here; without the canal, Castleton wouldn’t exist as it is today. Once we’re done, the flowers should be blooming around lock 51.”

The next volunteer get together is on Wednesday 8 June, the meeting point is Blue Pits Higher Lock 51, Maltings Lane, Castleton at 10.00am.