By JOEL SAWYER

WINWICK Quay hosted a special visitor last week to mark the restoration of the Sankey Canal.

Roger Hanbury, chief executive of the Waterways Trust, was given a guided, whistle-stop tour of the stretch by the Mayor of Warrington, Clr Sheila Woodyatt, the Deputy Mayor of Halton, Clr Christopher Loftus, and the Mayor of St Helens, Clr Pat Robinson.

The Waterways Trust is an independent charitable trust which aims to raise funds, develop waterway partnerships and extend the success of waterway regeneration.

Members of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCARS) saw Mr Hanbury's visit as a chance to establish the next steps to be taken towards the eventual restoration of the waterway from St Helens, through Winwick Quay to Earlestown and finally to the Mersey at Widnes.

The party visited points along the canal including Spike Island, Winwick Quay and Newton Common to see what has been achieved by SCARS so far and what remains to be done.

The tour was rounded off with a speech by Mr Hanbury.

The Reverend David Long, chairman of SCARS, said: "He had clearly been favourably impressed by his visit and by the support being given to SCARS by the various local authorities and environmental organisations."

SCARS is now hoping to enter into a partnership with Halton, St Helens and Warrington's borough councils to continue regenerating the Sankey waterway.