A NEW manager has been appointed at the Fourteen Locks Canal Centre in Rogerstone.

The centre run by the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals Trust (MBACT) is a museum, cafe and community centre and an information hub for the canal and the organisation's restoration activities.

Laura Thomas is the new manager at the centre and knows the canal well.

She has her own boat moored at Llangattock and has previously been a manager for the Big Issue and in the care sector.

Ms Thomas said: “I’m passionate about the Mon and Brec canal and am delighted to take on this new role.

"I’m really looking forward to helping visitors experience this beautiful local resource and assist MBACT in promoting its work and its aim of restoring the southern part of the Monmouthshire Canal.”

MBACT are a registered charity based in South East Wales and have previously run an “Education through Restoration” project with 60 local schools in partnership with Newport City Council at Fourteen Locks.

They work to restore the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal and are working on restoring parts of the canal around Newport.