RENOWNED actor and canal boat enthusiast Timothy West received a musical welcome on Saturday as he opened Winsford’s new-look marina.

Timothy unveiled a commemorative lock gate on the marina island to mark the creation of 50 moorings for narrowboats.

Timothy’s narrowboat was the final one of 16 which made the trip from the Anderton Boat Lift to Winsford Marina.

As he arrived he was greeted by schoolchildren waving from the river bank and singing Power In Me – the children being pupils at Willow Wood, Over St John’s, Darnhall and Grange primary schools.

After mooring up Timothy unveiled a lock gate, which is topped by an oak beam pointing towards the Peckforton Hills, the source of the River Weaver.

The lock gate features a plaque referring to Warburton Wharf, which has been named in honour of Winsford town clerk Alan Warburton.

Mr Warburton, 63, has been town clerk since 2007, is due to retire at the end of May, and was unaware of the naming in his honour until the unveiling.

“I was completely lost for words, and for anyone to have something like that named after them is a wonderful honour,” he said.

The marina works are the culmination of a two-year project by Winsford Town Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the River Weaver Navigation Society.

The opening was attended by between 400 and 500 people, including 150 narrowboaters, Winsford town mayor Cllr Ailsa Gaskill-Jones, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs, High Sheriff of Cheshire Kathy Cowell, Cheshire West and Chester leader Samantha Dixon, and Nigel Hughes, YMCA Wirral CEO and a major figure in the River Weaver Navigation Society.

The opening included Morris dancing and maypole dancing, and was followed by a VIP reception at the Red Lion Inn.

The creation of the moorings is the first phase of a scheme which looks to link the River Weaver and the Shropshire Union Canal at Winsford.