Barrage improvement plan unveiled

The barrage improvements will cost about £3.5m

Plans have been unveiled to create improved facilities for water sport enthusiasts on the River Tees, which will also generate electricity.

The proposals, from the Stockton and Middlesbrough Initiative and British Waterways, could be in place by 2009.

Four massive pumps would create ideal conditions for canoeists and other white water enthusiasts on the existing Tees Barrage course.

The pumps will also be used to generate hydro-electric power.

It is estimated the improvements will cost about £3.5m.

Fred Hartley, senior projects manager at British Waterways, said: "This is not only a fascinating and innovative piece of engineering, it will also result in a truly world class facility for the Tees Valley."

Middlesbrough deputy mayor Bob Kerr added: "The facilities at the Barrage are already an enormous asset to both Stockton and Middlesbrough and the wider Tees Valley, and will continue to be a major attraction for visitors from around the country and further afield."