The wrong crayfish

WHILST British Waterways have been active encouraging crayfish, particularly in the Oxford Canal, it doesn't want them in the Kennet & Avon Canal.

The Kennet & Avon crayfish are the wrong variety, being the American Signal Crayfish, (pictured) which are causing extensive damage to the canal banks, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Burrow into canal banks

The crayfish burrow into the canal banks, with British Waterways,Engineer David Berezynskyj remarking:

"Some of these banks are like Swiss cheese. We need to act to avoid any serious damage and reduce the risk of the embankment breaching."

Work started

Work started on the 21st January on the section from Bulls Lock to Greenham Lock to both repair the bank and lay polypropylene sheeting, which will take 10 weeks at a cost of £250,000.

The last time the canal banks were damaged causing a breach was by water voles.