Fury in Nuneaton as canal towpath access is blocked-off...

Outrage surrounds a decision to block off the last remaining 'unofficial' access to a popular Nuneaton canal towpath.

It had been used by everyone from parents with pushchairs to dog walkers and runners so that they could continue to access the canal path near Cat Gallows bridge.

Most would agree that it was not an ideal or safe access point, but it was all that regular users of the canal towpath had been left with following the controversial decision in March to block off the underpass under the bridge, and the routes that led onto the bridge itself.

But the make-shift unofficial access has also now been fenced off, meaning no -one on either side the canal towpath can access the bridge, which is used as a short cut to both Greenmoor Road and Villiers Street.

Now people have been left with no choice but to access the canal towpath either at Boot Wharf or off the Cock and Bear Bridge, which are both around 1km away.

The decision to block off the canal towpath access to the bridge was originally taken by Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police and the Canal River Trust.

The organisations said it was made in response to concerns raised by residents in nearby Villiers Street that it was being used as a place for gangs of youths to hang out, and cause Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB).

It is understood that incidents of ASB have reduced to almost none since the underpass was blocked.

But, the unofficial access point had remained in use, right up until last week.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council explained: "The county council's bridge maintenance team has replaced an area of fencing on the Villiers Street entrance to prevent falls from height on the ramped approach.

"This work has been carried out with the support of county partners to reduce anti-social behaviour."