A DEDICATED group of volunteers committed to restoring the county's canal has received its Queen's Award.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Dame Janet Trotter DBE, gave the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service to the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust.

More than 90 volunteers from the group went to the canal basin at Over to watch the award being presented to chairman, Janet Moult.

Heritage boats were kitted out in the H&G CT livery colours of yellow and black.

Following the event, Dame Janet wrote to H&G CT: "I can quite understand why the QAVS assessors heaped praise upon the volunteers who do so much and so faithfully to restore and preserve this waterway."

Dame Janet was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal Mike Smart DL, representing the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Countess of Darnley. The Mayor of Gloucester, Neil Hampson and the sheriff and deputy mayor of Gloucester, Said Hansdot, were also in attendance.

The trust has been working since 1992 to restore the 34-mile canal which joins Hereford with the navigable River Severn at Gloucester.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities.