Vandals attack Chesterfield Canal restoration

VANDALS are attacking the restoration of the Chesterfield Canal, draining pounds by actually opening lock gates.

The latest attack was at the restored  Blue Bank Lock, between Brimington and Old Whittington, on Saturday evening, with the pound above drained, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Concentrated attack

It was just a week earlier that another pound was drained, this time by Tapton Lock Visitor Centre, again with the lock gates opened, giving the impression that this is a concentrated attack on the restoration of the waterway.

Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, stated:

Specialist equipment

"These weren't spur-of-the-moment attacks. The heavy gates can only be opened with specialist equipment and the culprits had come prepared.

"Water levels were already low after the recent dry spell and it took four days for the stretch of canal at Tapton Lock to refill.

However, one of the incidents was captured on CCTV footage which has been handed to police.