LYDNEY canal could be brought back to life if ambitious plans to restore the swing bridge at the harbour are given the green light.
Boat owners and guardians of the harbour want to reopen part of the one-mile section of canal between the River Severn and Lydney.
But first they have to restore the Grade II listed swing bridge which allows boats through from the harbour.
A nationwide team of waterway volunteers would then be asked to help local boat owners restore the canal to its former glory. Toilets and a cafe complete the redesign plans to turn the harbour into a popular attraction. Eric Witheridge of Lydney Yacht Club said the swing bridge was closed in the mid-1980s after the Environment Agency took over responsibility for the harbour.
"We are looking to refurbish the bridge and clear the canal as far as the railway line," he said.