A CWMBRAN canal lock has been re-opened after nearly 100 years thanks to restoration work by volunteers.

Lower Brake Lock, on the Ty Coch section of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is the first of six local locks to be restored to their former glory as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Waterworks Project.

Restoration began at Ty Coch in 2012. Volunteer Luke Shanahan, 22, from Trevethin, said: “I got involved with this when I was unemployed. I wasn’t interested in canals but I now really enjoy it and have learnt new skills in stonework, carpentry and driving heavy machinery.

“It has been a great four year experience and I now have a job working for the canal trust.”

Friday’s opening was the first time the lock had been used by boats since it was abandoned in the 1920s.

To get the locks working again, modular metal and wooden gates were designed in partnership with Swansea University, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Trust, Kennet and Avon Canal Trust and Torfaen council. The gates are designed to be cheaper than traditional oak gates but have a life span of about 100 years and can be easily assembled making them perfect for volunteer driven projects.

Richard Dommett of Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust, said: “The project is a fantastic success and Ty Coch is now a real asset for the whole community. Our main goal is to see the canal brought back into full use and with the opening of the lock we have taken a significant step forward.

“Volunteers from all over south Wales have come to work on this project and everyone involved should be very proud of their hard work.”

A further four locks will be completed by the time the project comes to an end in September 2016, eight year after it started.

Leader of Torfaen council, Bob Wellington, said: “Our goal is that we will see the canal fully navigable for people to enjoy, it is an important part of our heritage and the project is returning the canal to its former glory.

“The new gates are truly innovative and a world first. They can be customised to fit any type of canal lock, and could play an important part in canal restoration across the world.”