Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal fish rescue ahead of repairs

A team of fish experts will brave the cold water on Thursday

An attempt is being made to rescue hundreds of fish from a Powys canal ahead of major repair work.

It is part of a project to restore part of the 200-year-old Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal near Llanhamlach.

The rescue operation is being carried out by The Canal & River Trust in Wales on Thursday.

The charity hopes to capture carp, dace roach, bream and perch, before rehoming them in another section of the canal.

Kevin Phillips, the charity's waterway supervisor, said a team of fish experts would use a method known as "electrofishing".

"This effectively tickles the fish so that they temporarily stop swimming and can be gently netted and rehomed," he said.

The repair work will see more than 2.5m litres (549,923 gallons) of water drained from the canal, before engineers work to secure 100m (328ft) of the walls with clay to prevent leaking.

The canal is "one of the most popular attractions in the Brecon Beacons" and "needs plenty of care and attention", Mr Phillips added.