A NEW oasis for boaters has been established along the Trent and Mersey Canal near Middlewich.

The mooring and picnic area - known as Bramble Cuttings - was created as a joint venture between British Waterways and the Broken Cross Boat Club.

It is situated on the site of a disused clay pit near Bostock Hall, which was excavated by members of the boat club with the help of a British Waterways mechanical digger.

They cleared back overgrown brambles, gorse and hawthorn from the site, which was then levelled, creating an amphitheatre-shaped mooring area. Shale was then applied against the piling area of the wharf and grass seed planted along the banks.

To make the new mooring area even more of a magnet for boaters, the boat club has installed picnic tables, benches and mooring rings.

As a reminder of its former existence as a working canal claypit, a feature is being made of a two metre thick tree that has grown up through the trackway that was used to transport clay from the pit to the navigation.

In recognition of the hard work put into clearing the site the boat club members unanimously voted to name the site 'Bramble Cuttings'.

Jim Taylor of British Waterways, said: "At British Waterways, we believe in working partnerships with other interested organisations to preserve the nation's waterways and their structures for the enjoyment of future generations.

"A great deal of hard work has gone into this highly original scheme, making Bramble Cuttings an attractive new stopping point."

The site which will be officially opening next month, was funded by a Waterside Revival Grant from the Mersey Basin Trust and BT.

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