VOLUNTEERS restoring historic Stover Canal have completed a major renovation of a footbridge along the tow path.

The timber footbridge, which takes walkers over the Fishwick Feeder stream, was subjected to annual flood flows from the River Teign and suffered regular damage.

Following the extremely heavy flooding after Storm Bert last November, the decision was taken to completely rebuild the footbridge.

With the help of a grant from the Inland Waterways Association-South West branch, volunteers were able to contract No More Digging, a specialist company from Exeter, to instal galvanised ground screws, some of which were four metres long, to replace the old wooden supports which are invariably under water.

Volunteers were then able to construct new braces, boarding and handrails to provide a safe means of crossing the stream.

Trust Chairman and project manager, Paul Taper said: ‘The old footbridge had been in service for 20 years but was becoming unsafe.

‘The generous grant from IWA-SW enabled a complete replacement to be installed.

‘We could have put up a metal replacement but were conscious of the rural setting and so opted to keep a wooden structure with modern supports.

‘The contractors were on site for two days using state of the art equipment to provide a stable base for us to uprate the wooden surface thereby retaining the original look. It is also designed to be more accessible to those with limited mobility.’

Management Committee Chairman, Rob Harris, said: ‘The term Fishwick Feeder takes it’s name from Fishwick House which used to stand alongside the River Teign.

‘There a sluice and weir were installed to direct river water across the fields into the canal.

‘The house has long since disappeared and the sluice has fallen into disrepair but the route that the water used to take can still be seen.

‘We anticipate that we have constructed a bridge which is both rustically attractive and sturdy enough to withstand any significant flood flows across the meadows.’

Work parties are held on the second Wednesday of the month and over the last weekend.

New members are always welcomed and can contact the Trust by email: [email protected]

The Stover Canal was built by James Templer II of Stover House between 1790 and 1792 to allow the export of clay from the Bovey Basin through the docks at Teignmouth.

His son George opened the unique ‘Granite Tramway’ in 1820 to take granite from the Templer quarries at Haytor to London via the canal and Teignmouth.

The Stover Canal Society was founded in 1999 following a public meeting which saw overwhelming enthusiasm for the canal to be restored.

Teignbridge Council had incorporated part of the canal towpath into the Temple Way historic trail in the late 1980s and had been considering what further steps to take.

The Inland Waterways Association has been calling for action over the state of the canal and a number of individuals, including the founding chairman Roger Harding had been asking about the state and condition of the canal.