27 July 2012 Last updated at 14:26 ET

River Avon restoration in Wiltshire given funding

A scheme to restore the River Avon in parts of Wiltshire after dredging and widening in the mid-20th Century has been awarded funding.

The Wessex Chalk Streams Project says it will work with angling clubs and landowners to restore the river to a "more natural state".

The work will be carried out in West Amesbury and in Stratford-sub-Castle and Gunville, both in Salisbury.

Defra funds of more than £230,000 are administered by the Environment Agency.

'Undo damage'

Wessex Water, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Wiltshire Fishery Association are involved in the project.

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust officer David Kelly said: "This new funding will help us to deliver three restoration projects this year, to restore stretches of river to more natural conditions.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to undo a lot of damage caused by past management and make our rivers much more resilient to the effects of a changing climate.

"We hope that we can continue this type of work in future years in different areas of the Avon and its tributaries, working with a variety of organisations interested in the river."