AN extra pair of hands is needed to join the ranks of volunteers at the Canal and River Trust who are calling on helpers to be part of their lock keeper team.

The charity, which looks after the Kennet and Avon Canal, is looking for lock keepers to help out in Bradford on Avon, Caen Hill in Devizes and Crofton, near Marlborough.

Here they will help passing boaters, welcome visitors, give a hand to the trust’s teams in maintaining the canal and help to keep a tradition, where lock keepers have been part of waterway life of hundreds of years, alive.

One of the lock keepers at the iconic Caen Hill locks is 72-year-old Roger Ingham, who has been in his current role for nearly three years and loves every minute of it.

"I am honoured to help maintain and keep safe such a beautiful part of the country and it is a joy to meet people, get fit and enjoy the countryside – something this job offers in abundance," said Mr Ingham, who has lived in Wiltshire for 37 years.

"I wanted to give something back to the community and I feel this job allows me to do that. I work one day a week from 9am-1am in the winter and 9am-4pm in the summer.

"You do not really have a set day, as all sorts of things go on. I would really recommend this role to others. Here at Caen Hill we are a very amicable bunch. I spent pretty much all of my working life as an HGV driver and now I am helping out on the waterways and am very happy. I get to walk for a few miles a day and it is great.

"The Caen Hill spot is just an incredible engineering feat and it makes me happy boaters up and down the flight and telling tourists about how it all works as they come from all over the world.

"I myself am now living on the canal in this area, it is a very interesting life, with a really strong sense of community."

Full training is provided and people over the age of 18 and experiences are encouraged to apply.

Volunteer lock keepers work on a shift basis between April-October, while many stay on over the winter months to help the trust with other work.

Steve Manzi, from the Canal & River Trust, said: "Our lock keepers are the face of the canal, safely seeing boats through the locks, as well as helping people with directions or information about the area.

"It is a great role for anyone keen to work outdoors and meet new people. You will learn new skills and provide a huge amount of help for the thousands of visitors we get to the canal each year."

For more information, visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer/ways-to-volunteer/volunteer-lock-keepers