FAMILIES are being offered a day out by the water at Whixall Marina this weekend.

On Sunday, an open day will be taking place at the marina on the Prees Branch of the Llangollen Canal in Shropshire.

General Manager, Phil Knowles, is looking forwarding to welcoming people to the event where there will be a barbecue and crafts on offer, among many other things.

He said: "We look forward to welcoming people to see our beautiful marina and to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of our Waterside Café, where we will be serving food and drink all day, including a barbecue.

"We’d also like to show visitors our newly-launched shepherds' huts, and invite them join in with fun and games on our village green.

"There will be local crafts, music and a Marina nature watch activity for children.

"And Anglo Welsh, who opened a new narrowboat hire base here at Whixall Marina in April, will have one of their canal boats open for visitors to look round and see the facilities on board."

Andy Brickland, manager of Anglo Welsh’s canal boat hire operation at Whixall, is keen to show off their new luxury canal boat 'Centaurus'.

He said: "Since last April, we have been offering day boat hire and narrowboat holidays from beautiful Whixall Marina.

"To celebrate, as part of the Whixall Marina open day, we are giving people the chance to look round our new luxury canal boat for up to four people, ‘Centaurus’.

"This 65ft long modern narrowboat showcases the kind of facilities available on board our luxury boats, including full-size showers, a range of flexible and private berths, full radiator central heating, TV and Wifi, and spacious kitchens with modern fittings and lighting.

"We look forward to welcoming people aboard."

The open day will run from 10.30am till 5pm at Alders Lane, Whixall, Shropshire SY13 2QS.

For more information visit www.whixallmarina.co.uk or call 01948 880701.