The first phase of a project to restore the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal has been completed at Middlewood, Salford.

Filled in during the 1960s, the 15.2 mile (24.5km) canal is one of the last major waterways in the Greater Manchester area that has undergone restoration work. Work on the 437m-long Middlewood section of the canal has included the creation of a tunnel under the Salford Inner relief road and the Manchester/Wigan rail viaduct, as well as the construction of a new 7m deep lock, which will be the third deepest lock within British Waterways' 2,200-mile (3540km) network.

The completion of the first phase of restoration has also reconnected the canal with the rest of the inland network via the River Irwell, and it is now hoped the next stage of the project could be finished by 2018, depending on funding. Contractor Volker Stevin was responsible for delivering the £5.9m project, which was funded by the Northwest European Regional Development Fund, Salford City Council, the North West Regional Development Agency, and Valley and Vale Properties.

Chief executive of British Waterways, Robin Evans, said: "The waterways in the north west which were once vital for industry are still playing an important role in society. Rather than carrying goods and raw materials, the restored canal will be an attractive place to live, work and to spend leisure time. "The restoration of one of the last major waterways in Manchester shows just how much the fortunes of the canals have changed."