GAS distribution firm Transco has started preparations for a £1.1million pipeline under the River Severn from Sharpness-Lydney. Work begins next month.

Spokesperson Caroline Davidson told the Review this week that the key part of the work, drilling a hole underneath the river and drawing a 12-inch steel pipe all the way through, would begin in August and last about a month.

"It is a massive engineering scheme. The actual piece underneath the river means we have to drill a hole 1.5km long, with a further 1km on the Sharpness side to go beneath the canal and the railway line and about 1km on the Lydney side," she said.

The work connects gas supplies on either side of the river.

A pipeline which used to carry coal gas supplies, rather than the natural gas of today, ran across the old Severn rail bridge and was breeched when two fuel tankers collided with the structure and exploded in 1960, killing five men.

The link, which brought gas from Dursley to the Forest of Dean, was never reestablished, with supplies interrupted until a new pipeline could be installed from Gloucester to Lydney.

People were warned through loud hailers by police touring the district not to switch on gas appliances and later issued with Calor gas cookers.

With some assistance the Sharpness stationmaster Reg Webb, of Cinderford, turned off a massive stop-valve to avoid the possibility of a gas explosion adding to the bridge tragedy.

Ms Davidson said a lot of preparatory work for the new pipeline had already been accomplished, particularly on the surveying side.

"It was quite a lengthy process in the planning stage, and we have to go into everything very thoroughly, particularly the environmental side.

"We have to submit a study to the planners and safeguards for wildlife have to meet their approval.

"Basically this means that if we find there is a badgers' set we have to re-route our plans so that we don't disturb it in any way. We are very careful about these things."

•How do they do it?

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