CAMPAIGNERS have again demanded urgent action to make safer part of the canal towpath near Skipton town centre.

And they have vowed to demonstrate at the head office of the Canal and River Trust in Wigan unless they have assurances that work on the deeply rutted path near Aireville Bridge is carried out soon.

Broughton Road residents have previously branded the path "a potential deathtrap" and say re-surfacing work needs to be carried out urgently before the onset of winter makes it even more dangerous.

In April this year, 73-year-old Anne Whitmore slipped and fell into the canal and was unable to pull herself out. She was rescued by a passer-by after 10 minutes up to her neck in water.

Skipton West ward councillor Peter Madeley, one of the leaders of the campaign, said he was calling on the trust to make the work a top priority.

He said: "As we have made clear many times, this is a very serious safety issue. That part of the towpath, from Gaw Flat Bridge to Sawley Street, is very dangerous, as what happened to Mrs Whitmore amply demonstrated.

"We were told in the summer that there could be money available but nothing's happened yet. With winter fast approaching it needs to get done quickly.

"It's all very well the Trust chiefs patting themselves on the back with the 200th anniversary celebrations but this work needs to be started now. The path was in an appalling state last winter and as soon as the cold and wet weather really kicks in it will be that way again."

Cllr Madeley said that the group had asked a Skipton builder for a quote on the necessary work, and he could start the work promptly if given the go-ahead by Canal and River Trust chiefs.

Cllr Madeley added: "We have called for the trust to either "fix or close" the path before and sadly we are having to do it again. This is a major health and safety issue."

A spokeswoman for the Canal and River Trust said: “We fully support the proposal to improve this particular stretch of canal towpath heading out of Skipton town centre towards Gargrave. Sadly there is no money available to make this happen at the moment. The Trust and Craven District Council continue to work closely together with the goal of obtaining further grant funding and we hope to be the bearers of good news in the near future.”