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The charity responsible for maintaining the Leeds and Liverpool Canal has begun an "extremely costly" programme of repair works on the waterway.

The Canal & River Trust said more frequent and severe storms were "bringing flooding and landslips and causing unprecedented damage".

It has launched a fundraising appeal to help pay for the costs of maintaining the canal network, which covers 320 miles in Yorkshire.

The organisation's chief executive Richard Parry said Britain's canal network was "facing a perfect storm" amid rising costs and a lack of government support.

He said: “As we head into winter, we’re bracing ourselves for more costly damage from extreme weather but also working to make these aged former transport routes, and the wildlife they support, as resilient as possible."

Repair work in Yorkshire began last week at Bank Newton, near Gargrave, to replace lock gates and make repairs to lock chambers, quoins and cills.

A Canal & River Trust spokesperson said repairs would also be made to Cowling Swing Bridge and Booth’s Swing Bridge, near Keighley.

Other work as part of a six-month programme of repairs included lock gate replacements and repairs along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Aire & Calder Navigation and Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation.

'Soul-destroying'

Last month a family-run business announced it would stop running holiday rentals on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal because of the waterway's condition.

The firm's director Ian Clarke said it had become "soul-destroying" to operate on the canal because of low water levels and broken locks.

Mr Parry said keeping canals open and safe required "millions of pounds and a year-round effort".

He said: "We’re talking to government about the need for an active partnership, and we’re calling on people to donate and help us safeguard our canals and rivers for the future.”

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