Chairman of The Wey & Arun Canal Trust, Peter Foulger, says: "This is a great occasion for the Trust as we celebrate the end of five years work to reinstate the canal under Loxwood High Street for the first time in 140 years. Without help from so many people, we could never have reached today's celebration." Nearly 800 members, supporters and visitors enjoyed the day in Loxwood.

The three-year project was carried out in several stages comprising: * Lowering of the water level in Brewhurst Lock to gain headroom under the re-built tunnel and lengthening the lock to take boats of up to 70ft. * Re-modelling the Onslow Pound and adjacent towpath and constructing a new winding hole opposite the Onslow Arms. * Building a new lock (Loxwood Lock) on the River Wey side of the re-built tunnel to raise the water level to its original height. * Re-building the tunnel so that the previous road surface remained at the same height but the headroom beneath allowed boats to safely pass under. This involved major construction work, including the diverting of services including a sewer, water pipes and telephone cables.

In recognition of an £80,000 donation from the Wiggonholt Association towards the cost of the new all-electric boat, the naming of "Wiggonholt" was undertaken by Mrs Doreen Mann, a member of that organisation. This will mean that the Wey & Arun Canal Trust will now have three boats in which to offer public trips or for private hire. Leading the 'fleet' Wiggonholt will be able to carry 50 passengers, Zachariah Keppel 30 and John Smallpeice 12 guests.

Speaking about the new boat, Derek Miller, Chairman of W&E Enterprises Ltd, the trading arm of the Trust, comments: "WAEL has enjoyed the expert assistance of its members to design, order and see Wiggonholt through to completion. Thank you to them and to the boat-builders for bringing us the red-letter day for WAEL."

Following the naming of the new boat at 11.20, Mr Peter Flatter and Mrs Doreen Mann of the Wiggonholt Association, Lord Sterling and other invited guests, boarded Wiggonholt and passed through the re-built tunnel. Lord Sterling officially declared the bridge open followed by the opening of the new lock. In his speech he spoke about the historical significance and congratulated the Trust on achieving this milestone.

At the helm of Wiggonholt was Peter Wilding, a founder member of the Trust. "To commission a new boat, open a new lock and a new bridge is something one only dreams about", says Peter, "and I am very proud to have been chosen to skipper Wiggonholt on its inaugural trip."

The celebrations continued in the afternoon with a Small Boat Rally on the canal.

Editors' notes

Jeffrey Sterling, Baron Sterling of Plaistow, GCVO CBE, was executive chairman of the shipping line P&O from 1983 to 2005, having joined the board as a non-executive director in 1980. He is now Life President of P&O Cruises - a fitting guest to open the newly restored section of the Wey & Arun Canal.

Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1977, he was knighted in the 1985 New Year's Honours List for public services and services to industry, subsequently being created a life peer as Baron Sterling of Plaistow in 1990. He holds an honorary commission in the Royal Naval Reserve of Commodore and is associated with HMS President.

In March 2007 Lord Sterling announced that he would be buying the Swan Hellenic brand from Carnival Corporation & plc and in the following month brokered a deal with Roger Allard's All Leisure Holidays, operator of cruise company, Voyages of Discovery to purchase his Brand Swan Hellenic. Together they acquired cruise ship Explorer 2 to be renamed Minerva 1.

Nestling half-way between Pulborough and Storrington in West Sussex, today the hamlet of Wiggonholt has fewer than thirty residents. Located in a conservation area adjoining the RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve, Parham Park with its beautiful Elizabethan house is nearby.

The Wiggonholt Association is dedicated to the preservation of rural Sussex, the voluntary body being formed to protect and enhance the unspoilt natural beauty, tranquillity and rural amenity of the Wiggonholt area

Apart from co-operating with other environmental organisations, it supports activities including country pursuits, nature reserves, farming, ecology, biodiversity and the preservation of the Sussex Downs.

The all-electric Wiggonholt

The 21 tonnes Wiggonholt has an overall length of 18.5m, a beam of 2.9m and a draught of 0.46m. It is licensed to carry 60 passengers in groups of four around small tables. On-board facilities include an access lift, adapted to allow wheelchair passengers easy access, a flushing toilet and running water.

Propulsion is by two 'Lynch' type permanent magnet 48V dc motors, each rated at 10kW. The power supply comes from two banks of 24V lead/acid traction batteries, connected in series to give 48V. Batteries have a capacity of 1250 Ampere hours. The boat is also fitted with a bow thrusters to assist manoeuvring through some of the tighter bridge holes on bends and when winding.

Design average speed on the Wey & Arun Canal is 2mph, this being due to its shallow and silted nature, although Wiggonholt is capable of a significantly higher speed.