WORK has started on construction for Whalley Community Hydro.

Civil engineering contractors are setting up the site in preparation for excavation of the channel beside the weir at Whalley which will take water from the river above the weir and put it back below the weir.

The first task is to make a track across the field and compound for site cabins.

The project is scheduled for October depending on the weather.

Whalley Hydro’s project manager Tim Ashworth said: “It took us four years of hard work to get to this stage. Thanks to all our shareholders who are mostly local people who made this possible.

“We raised £432,000 from the share issue towards the £750,000 cost of the project. We have a bank loan to help us get started but we’d like to reduce the loan so that we can use more of our income for community benefit.”