£2m works set for boating river

Kent's main boating river will see major works this winter

Kent's main boating river will see "15 essential projects" carried out this new year totalling £2m, the Environment Agency has said.

Projects on the River Medway this winter will include a £400,000 refurbishment of Hampstead Lock.

And a further £400,000 of works will be carried out at Allington to stabilise the eroding bank and improve facilities for boats, engineer Phil Munslow said.

A series of lock closures is planned on the river from January until March.

'Temporary dam'

Mr Munslow said: "We're all set to give Hampstead Lock a new lease of life with a major facelift.

"The lock chamber will undergo a thorough refurbishment and stability works will be carried out on the lock walls. "

He added that the lock would be drained for the duration of the works and a temporary dam would be put in place upstream.

Hampstead Lock will be closed from 7 January until 14 March.

People planning a trip on the Medway this winter are advised to check the Environment Agency website for information about other lock closures on the river.