Whaley Bridge reservoir repairs near completion

An RAF Chinook dropping bags of aggregate at the dam wall of Toddbrook Reservoir in 2019

Work to restore a reservoir that nearly collapsed in August 2019 is expected to be finished by Christmas, according to the Canal and River Trust.

Around 1,500 homes were evacuated in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, when part of the spillway of Toddbrook Reservoir broke away after a long spell of heavy rain.

An RAF helicopter dropped 400 bags of aggregate to help prevent the dam wall from completely collapsing.

It has now been redesigned as part of a three-year programme of work.

Dilwyn Parry, Toddbrook project manager for the Canal and River Trust, said he was grateful for residents' patience

Dilwyn Parry, Toddbrook project manager for the Canal and River Trust, said: "We are very grateful to all the local residents for their continuing patience with the construction project.

"The end is now in sight and by the seventh anniversary of the incident, we should again have a beautiful working reservoir for everyone to enjoy.

"A couple of months ago, the spillway channel was inspected and approved by a government-qualified civil engineer, allowing a new opening to be made in the dam crest to enable Kier (the constructor) to complete the final works on the spillway structure."

Under the new design, a spillway chute to the side of the reservoir will do the job that the original spillway did.

Aggregate that was dropped by an RAF Chinook in 2019 is being removed along with the concrete slabs that had started to fall away.

Next year, the reservoir will be filled with water again.

"Toddbrook Reservoir will again be capable of performing its vital role of supplying water to the Macclesfield and Peak Forest canals," added Mr Parry.

"The reservoir will be re-stocked with fish and, hopefully by the summer, it will be fully restored as a community resource for sailing, angling and swimming."

Work has been ongoing at Toddbrook Reservoir in Whaley Bridge

Chairman of Whaley Bridge Athletic Football Club, Josh Ratcliffe, has welcomed the completion of this project, as one of the club's pitches has been out of use since the incident.

In the meantime, some of the club's teams have been playing at a leisure centre in Chapel-en-le-Frith.

Mr Ratcliffe said some of the players had never played in Whaley Bridge.

"Part of living and playing for your community club [is] you get to represent your team on your home pitch," he added.

"While Chapel leisure centre has been an excellent host to help us get through this, ultimately we want to utilise our home pitch."

Open days will be held at the site by the Canal and River Trust on 26 and 27 September to give people the opportunity to see the work that has been done.