Final canal stretch to reopen after chemical spill

The final section of a canal that was closed after a toxic chemical spill last summer is due to reopen next week, the charity leading the clean-up has said.

A 12-mile (19km) stretch of the Walsall Canal was initially closed after the spill in August, when about 4,000 litres (879 gallons) of sodium cyanide and other chemicals leaked into the water.

While most of the waterway reopened last year after testing, a directly-affected section in the Pleck area of Walsall has remained shut.

Henriette Breukelaar, the Canal and River Trust's regional director, said she was "incredibly excited" that the final stretch was set to reopen to boats on 5 June.

"We know how much the local community love this canal," she told BBC Radio WM, adding that it was a haven for fish, birds and otters.

The towpath reopened in October, but boaters had remained barred from going north of Ocker Hill junction to the junction with the Wyrley and Essington Canal.

Ms Breukelaar said the final stages of the Pleck clean-up had involved removing contaminated silt from the canal bed.

Anochrome Ltd, a metal finishing company, said last August that it was the source of the spill and an incident "regrettably" released chemicals into the canal.

In a statement on Wednesday, it said it continued to offer its "sincere apologies" for the incident and it had "covered costs for remedial work on the canal throughout the entire process".

The company added that it was delighted that the waterway was set to reopen fully.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said on Wednesday that its investigation into the incident was still ongoing.

Ms Breukelaar said a crowdfunder that had raised about £25,000 to help the charity support wildlife after the spill showed the local community's love for the canal.

"Whether you gave £1 or £100, it's just an indication of how loved this canal is. So it's wonderful to be able to reopen it," she said.

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