A MULTI-MILLION pound restoration project at the Tees Barrage has reached its midway point.

The five-year project reached the milestone when a 150-tonne crane and team of expert engineers from Canal & River Trust worked through the night on Sunday to complete the latest series of works.

This involved the refurbishment of the second of the four original 12-metre long cylinders used to operate the 88-tonne belly gates of the Barrage.

Costing an estimated £3 million in total, with a £525,000 contribution towards the project thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, the project is the most extensive repairs programme to be undertaken at the Barrage to date.

All four gates and cylinders - fundamental components of the Barrage – are being refurbished for the first time since it opened in 1995.

The latest carefully managed process involved refilling with river water the caissons in front of the belly gates before using a crane, aided by specialist divers, to take out the enormous planks that had been holding back the river water and allowing the refurbishment to take place.

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Sean McGinley, director for Yorkshire and North East at Canal and River Trust which owns the Barrage, said: “With controlled water flow of the River Tees, to prevent flooding and the effects of tidal change, the Tees Barrage continues to play a fundamental role in regenerating the Tees waterfront.

"It helps to create an attractive place to enjoy watersports, recreational activities, spotting wildlife and relaxing with friends and family.

“Of the many structures our charity looks after, Tees Barrage is truly unique, unlike anywhere else on our network.

"Thanks to the generous support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery we can ensure the longevity of the Barrage for generations to come.”

George Poole from Canal and River Trust has been project managing the restoration programme.

He said: “It’s been a complex project and it’s great to see everything go smoothly as we reach this midway point in the project.

"With the cylinders expected to have another 25-year lifespan, it’ll be a long time before we get to see something like this again.”

The Canal and River Trust is keen to encourage more people to take advantage of their local canal or river as research shows that spending time by water is good for both physical and mental health.

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The construction of the Tees Barrage has made the area a visitor hotspot and has seen watersports in the area such as canoeing, jet skiing, dragonboat racing and white water rafting flourish.

The Barrage cost £55 million to build and is an impressive structure standing 70 metres wide.

Its construction included creating a lock for boat navigation, fish passes for migratory fish and it even generates electricity from tidal power.

The purpose of the barrage is to control the flow of the River Tees, preventing flooding and the effects of tidal change.

It is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.