CANAL campaigners enjoyed the taste of success at their latest fundraising event in Melksham last weekend.

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust hosted an Ale, Cider & Sausage Festival at Melksham Assembly Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Visitors were able to savour a choice of eleven ales, four ciders and six varieties of sausages, while enjoying live music from the Burbank band.

They drank more than 340 pints and ate 240 sausages, and several picked up membership leaflets in the hope of joining the charity.

The festival was arranged by the Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the Canal Trust, and sponsored by The Bell Inn at Lacock.

The pub donated commemorative glasses while Melksham Town Council provided a grant towards the hire of the hall.

Branch chairman Dave Maloney said: “We are sincerely grateful to everyone who supported the event, not only the visitors but also all of the volunteers who worked so hard throughout the day.

“This was the third year of the festival and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Nobody wanted to leave at the end of the afternoon!

“We had lots of very positive feedback. People really enjoyed the range of ales, ciders and sausages, and there was a great deal of interest in the display boards showing the proposed route of a restored canal through Melksham.

“Lots of leaflets were taken away afterwards so we’re hoping that we’ll see a boost in membership too.”

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is steadily restoring several sections of the former 18th century waterway. It hopes to re-open the 52-mile canal between Semington and the River Thames at Abingdon.

A 1.2-kilometre stretch of the canal between between Melksham and Chippenham has already been refilled with water and includes a restored bridge, spillweir and mooring points, as well as benches, birdboxes and information boards.

Longer-term, the aim is to extend the line to Melksham where a planning application has already been submitted to create a new junction with the Kennet & Avon Canal at Semington.

The hope is to bring the canal along the River Avon through the town centre before reconnecting with the historic route south of Lacock.

For further information on joining the local branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, visit www.wbct.org.uk