Second major canal collapse hits the Midlands in less than 12 months

Shropshire has been hit by a second major canal collapse in less than 12 months.

An emergency operation has been under way on the Llangollen Canal at Hampton Bank near Ellesmere after an overnight leak developed into a breach, resulting in two homes being flooded.

It comes after the devastating breach on the Whitchurch stretch of the popular canal last December.

Work is still ongoing to repair the Whitchurch breach, with a massive engineering operation still taking place at the site.

The latest breach is a fresh headache for the Canal & River Trust, and devastating for the homeowners impacted by flooding.

A statement from the trust said emergency work is taking place to try and slow the water leaking into a neighbouring field.

It is understood pumps have been brought in to maintain the flow of water to Hurleston Reservoir.

The statement said: “Teams from the Canal & River Trust and its infrastructure partner, Kier, are on site and have closed the affected section of the canal.

“They are carrying out emergency works to slow the flow of water into a neighbourhood field. Two nearby properties have also been affected by flooding.

“We know this will be a distressing time for those affected. Our teams remain on site and in direct contact with the residents, providing support and assistance while we work as quickly as possible to bring the situation under control.

“Investigations are under way to establish the possible cause of the collapse, and we will provide further details in due course.”