VITAL maintenance work is nearing completion at the Tees Barrage as part of a £100,000 project and members of the public will get a rare chance to see the river bed.

As part of the repairs, four massive 50 tonne ‘fish belly’ or flood gates which control the Tees Barrage, are being checked over and inspected.

Temporary dams are installed and then the gate well is drained before a specialist maintenance team from the Canal and River Trust go into the gate well, which is 40 feet deep on the bed of the River Tees.

Lee Butler, team leader at the barrage said: “We do this work to keep the Tees Barrage in tip top condition. This is an exciting opportunity for us to give people a rare behind the scenes look at our maintenance work and walk onto the Tees’ river bed as well as learn about fish migration, get rare access into the control tower and discover more about the famous white water course.”

The gate seals are inspected as well as the walls, floor and pivot points, as well as checking the steelwork for damage. Pressure tests are carried out on the gates and any corroded components replaced.

On Saturday, August 22, the Trust is holding a special open day giving members of the public the rare chance to delve into one of the drained gate wells to see the inner workings up close.

The event will is between 10-4pm. No pre-booking is required and visitors will join tours on a first come, first served basis.

Further details are available at canalrivertrust.org.uk/summer-open-days