Hidden river to be revealed after a century

At the time the section of the River Sheaf was covered over it was effectively an open sewer

Part of a river hidden from view for more than a century is to be revealed.

A section of the River Sheaf, where it meets the River Don in the centre of Sheffield, was covered up in 1917 as part of work to create the Castle Market.

Uncovering the river is part of a wider £15m project to create a new public park on the Castlegate site which is due to be completed by 2026.

Work on the river is expected to begin on 27 August subject to a further pre-demolition survey of the protected bat population in the culvert.

At the time the river was covered over it was badly polluted, with waste from nearby slaughterhouses entering the water.

The council said at the time the Sheaf was effectively an open sewer.

The indoor Castle Market was demolished in 2015 and the council has said sections of concrete covering placed over the river are near collapse.

Simon Ogden, chair of the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust, said the project to reopen the river to public view represented one of the "major ambitions" behind the establishment of the trust.

"[The project] represents a landmark in the reclaiming the river after whom Sheffield is named," he said.

"It will greatly enhance the park and kickstart the restoration of the river as a habitat."

The council said reopening the water to the elements would improve

The wider project, funded by a government grant of £15m, will involve creating a public park on the site, which has already seen major excavation work and archaeology at the site once occupied by the city's castle.

Sections of its remains, including its 12th Century gatehouse, will be exposed and visible to the public, and art will be installed to "celebrate the history of the area," the council said.

People will be allowed to view the castle remains from above using a proposed footbridge.

The scheme also includes new buildings for commercial, community, education or residential use.

The opening up of the River Sheaf will be streamed online by the Sheaf and Porters River Trust.

A £15 million government grant is helping to pay for the scheme