A new system to help the country's canals to stay clean and free-flowing has been developed and looks set to benefit people planning Canal Boat Holidays in the UK.

The Sedi-filter, created by DRM Industrial Fabrics and designed by Aardvark EM, has already has successful trials in the Midlands on a British Waterways project to dredge canals and make them usable by boats.

Canal water is pumped into huge porous bags, which passes through the fabric and deposits the sediment, leaving clean water behind.

This also has the benefit of removing the vast majority of solid waste that needs to be taken to landfill, providing environmental as well as cost benefits.

'The use of the Sedi-filter system means that we don’t have to add anything to the contaminated sediment to treat it before it is disposed of,' Simon Potter, director of dredging contractor Blue Boar commented.

Founded in 1997, Aardvark EM delivers environmental projects for the public and private sectors.