A TEN-METER tension crack has been discovered on the Grand Western Canal near the swing bridge at Halberton near Tiverton.

Devon County Council engineers and a British Waterways engineer say the ten-meter tension crack could be a precursor to slippage of a section of the embankment.

The section has been isolated so only a limited amount of the canal would be affected if the embankment were to fail.

Canal rangers have installed stop boards at Rock Bridge and Greenway Bridge, damming the embankment section off from the rest of the canal. It is likely that the stop boards will be in place for at least two weeks while further monitoring and investigations are undertaken. Cllr Roger Croad, in charge of environmental and regulatory services, said: “The Canal Ranger Service has shown, once again, that they are on the case. “Their prompt action has forestalled a potentially very serious incident - I am sure that remedial action can be quickly taken to fully restore this historic and beautiful part of mid Devon.”