Dedicated volunteers have restored 12 miles of one of the most beautiful waterways in the East Midlands in the past 33 years and built two new marinas.

Their ambition is to restore the remaining stretch, which is less than nine miles, by 2027 in time for the 250th anniversary of the opening ofthe canal.

Thousands of visitors every year reap the rewards of Chesterfield Canal Trust’s efforts, from hopping aboard Santa Special or Easter bunny cruises to strolling along the litter-free towpath to see what wildlife they can spot.

We’ve taken a trip through our archives to fish out our favourite canal photos from down the years.