CLOSED sections of the Leeds and Liverpool canal have re-opened in time for the October school holidays, but are to close again because of the ongoing shortage of water.

Locks along the canal from Skipton to Leeds reopened on Friday for the rest of the month, while locks along the section between Gargrave and Wigan is due to reopen today (Monday).

The Canal and River Trust says the 'windows' of re-openings will allow boating over the half term holiday and will also give people the opportunity to move their boats to winter moorings.

Julie Sharman, chief operating officer at the trust, said: “I appreciate that this has been a disappointing cruising year for many boaters on our northern canals.

"The combination of a dry spring that continued into a hot, dry summer, coupled with essential reservoir repairs, meant water supplies have been at historically low levels. And although welcome rainfall in recent weeks has improved some canal pound levels, the reservoirs that feed the canals are still seeing modest increases in holding and are well below the 2010 and 2018 drought levels."

She added:“The long-term forecast is still for settled weather, with the Environment Agency warning there is a risk the drought could extend into 2023. So, while we need to carefully manage water supplies over the winter to help protect boating in 2023, we felt it was important to offer customers a ‘window’ of reopening at locks ahead of the winter stoppage season.

"In some instances, this will allow half-term cruising, whilst elsewhere where water levels are still particularly low, that ‘window’ of reopening is much more modest but allows those looking to move their boat and perhaps return to a winter mooring, the opportunity to do so.

“Getting underway in November, this winter our works programme will continue to see investment in a significant amount of water saving maintenance which, together with the ongoing investment in reservoirs, will help improve the resilience of the network in boating seasons to come.”

The trust was forced to close locks along the Leeds and Liverpool canal following this year's drought. It followed the closure of the Eshton Road lock at Gargrave for several weeks because of emergency repairs.

While water supplies are still severely constrained, with limited reservoir refill to date following rain in late August and September, sections of the canal to be reopened are:

Skipton to Lock 1 in Leeds, from October 14 to October 31, with restrictions.

Gargrave to Wigan from October 17, to October 31, with restrictions.

Boaters are encouraged to check the trust’s stoppage notices for updates. The trust’s drought pages provide information on the current situation: canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/managing-our-water/drought