Heritage attraction celebrates 50th birthday

Brindley the horse is one of the three working horses that pull the barges.

A tourist attraction that includes horses pulling barges along a canal in Devon is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The Tiverton Canal Company has operated along the banks of the Grand Western Canal since 1974.

The attraction has staff dressed in period costumes and barges decorated in traditional designs.

Phil Brind, the company's managing director, said the free event on Saturday was for "average families" and it was "about being together".

The Tivertonian was launched on the 13 July 1974

Mr Brind said: "Pennies are tight with local authorities, but I hope we can do whatever we can to keep the canal maintained and open" for the next 50 years.

Lauren Brinsden-Miles, the horseman for the company, said she did not want the tradition of horses pulling barges to "die out".

"There are only two [attractions] left in Great Britain," she said.