A £25,000 study to look into the feasibility and cost of restoring to water a 250-metre length of the former St Helens (Sankey) canal, the oldest in the country, has been given the go-ahead.

And a £19,000 project of improvements to the canal site in the town centre, close to the World of Glass and the Hilton Hotel, has also been given the green light.

The council-led schemes have received funding from the SRB, as well as the St Helens Hilton which has contributed half the cost towards the town-centre canal site enhancements.

Consultants will draw up a feasibility and costing of the restoration to water of the canal from Parr Street northwards to Corporation Street. A second phase will also investigate restoring the water link between between the technology campus and south of Standish Street.

The aim is to reclaim the former canal and by restoring it to water to enhance the setting and attractiveness of the eastern area of the town centre to which it is hoped to attract inward investment.

The improvements to the stretch of canal outside the World of Glass are aimed at improving the appearance and safety of the site to benefit the visitors to the museum, customers staying at the Hilton and shoppers.