A new nature reserve could be created along the route of an old canal.

Oakham Green Corridor volunteers have restored miles of footpath along a canal that runs across the north east of Oakham.

Now the group wants to create a nature reserve at the site and at a meeting of the Rutland Countryside Access Forum yesterday (Wednesday, November 20), volunteer Neil Broad set out details of the project and asked the county council for help.

He said: "A project we have been discussing is to obtain a local nature reserve on the existing section [of the corridor] which would run from the Spillway Bridge and then up the side of the canal, coming out by the old Angling Society stretch and then over the road and up to Ashborough Road.

"We're looking to get a lake reserve there on both banks of the canal."

He outlined two issues, one being ownership of the land, some of which is owned by the Hanbury family, and some by the St John and St Anne almshouse charity.

"At the moment we are in discussions with both of them to try and get a letter of support or demonstration of intent to say that they are supportive of the project," Neil added.

"We have been in discussions with the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust to benefit from their expertise in this matter and they will hopefully help us out."

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He said the plan would be to have rangers working within the reserve.

The hope is to gain some funding from a newly established Nature Towns & Cities funding stream set up by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with the government, Natural England and the National Trust.

The green corridor project would like the authority to bid for the funds on its behalf and at the meeting, highways officer Stuart Crooks said he would approach the right officer in the council to look into the fund.