After working through the summer months, most recently at Harsfold (near Wisborough Green), the Wey & Arun Canal Trust's Midweek Working Party (MWWP) has just started "jungle busting" a whole new section of the canal. Thanks to a change of ownership, permission has been received to clear this new section in Cranleigh, Surrey, which is almost two miles in length. The working party has started in the middle with clearing the canal bed behind Utworth Manor on the Alfold Road just outside the village.

Some scrubby trees were cleared in 1997 and 2000 by the MWWP in conjunction with Surrey CC, but the rest remained untouched until now. Peter Jackman and his team are endeavouring to get as many trees removed and undergrowth cleared from the canal bed and adjacent banks before the bird nesting season begins in March. Then there will be a break in the clearance work, while some maintenance and other general work is carried out in the area, before they start again in late summer. An ecological survey has been carried out by Dolphin Ecological Surveys and the report was all clear. The working party begins at 9.30am every Wednesday and if you would like to join this group, please contact the Trust's office for further details. 01403 752403 (office@weyandarun.co.uk).

The new owners of this section, including Holdhurst Farm, are the local firm, Dunsfold Park. Their CEO Jim McAllister said "we are very keen supporters of the restoration of the Wey & Arun Canal and wish to see it fully restored and in water. We fully support the Trust and would like to see a path along that stretch." The Trust would like to record their thanks to Mr McAllister and everyone at Dunsfold Park for their support, and also our appreciation to Fred & John Duncton at Holdhurst Farm, Mr Peter Hewett and Mr P D MacNeice, local landowners, for their co-operation and help.

A World War II 1943 Canadian Ford has also been seen at the site, pulling some of the bigger tree roots clear of the canal bed. The owner, Owen Perry, lives in Bramley and has welcomed the opportunity to help out on what must be regarded as being a rather unusual task for his vehicle.

Editor's note: Utworth Manor is off the Alfold Road, between Fast Bridge and Little Mead, Cranleigh, and this work represents the first time this section has been restored. The OS map refers to Utworth Manor with "TT" but we believe that the single "T" is the correct spelling.

The Utworth Manor section forms part of the summit level of the Wey & Arun Canal on its 23-mile route from the River Wey at Shalford, near Guildford, to the River Arun near Pulborough. The summit level (162 feet above sea level) runs from Rowly, near Cranleigh, to Sidney Wood, near Dunsfold. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust's objective is to restore the whole of the historic canal route.