A historic Leek canal was recently featured on TV in a BBC documentary about a narrowboat owner's journey across the country on some of England's most picturesque waterways.

Canal Boat Diaries sees narrow boat owner Robbie Cumming documenting his goal of exploring all of the country's most iconic canals.

In series 1 episode 2, Robbie struggles to navigate a particularly low and narrow canal tunnel in Leek on the latest leg of his journey from Froghall to Bugsworth Basin.

The episode was first shown in 2019, but it was broadcast again on BBC 1 last week, and will also be shown on BBC 4 on Thursday, 17th November at 7.30pm. It is also available to watch on demand on BBC iPlayer.

Robbie says in the Leek portion of the episode: "This is where the Cauldon Canal splits off into two branches. One is where we've just come from and it goes to Froghall, and another one goes onto Leek. That's where I'm headed next.

"My ultimate goal is to explore all the canals and rivers in the UK, so I can't not explore this one."

While exploring the canal he added: "Boat traffic gradually moved from this canal to the railways, and while the Cauldon was never legally closed transport had declined to such an extent that by the 1960s it was almost unusable.

"We're pretty much at the end of the Leek branch of this canal, but I just can't resist a tunnel, I've got to go through it! I've got to complete the whole stretch. I've got enough room at the top, but it's really narrow."

He added that the canal was restored in 1974, but the final half mile of the Leek branch remained buried under an industrial estate. Today the canal ends just south of Leek.