A FORMER worker from the Morwellham hydro-electric power station, who is now in his 80s, officially opened an exhibition celebrating the 200-year history of the Tavistock Canal on Friday.

Les Jackman worked at the power station from the 1950s to the 1980s and helped in the repairs to the canal which feeds the power station with water.

In a special ceremony Les cut the ribbon to start the celebrations that mark the beginning of construction of the canal on August 29, 1803.

The exhibition, which sets out the canal?s history in a series of coloured panels, is housed in the Guides? Hall in Tavistock next to the town?s main car park.

This 19th century building stands right over the canal ? a feature that allowed it directly to offload materials from the barges that docked beneath it via a trapdoor.

A main focus of the celebrations, the exhibition has been made possible by grants from Awards for All, the Tamar Valley Service and funding from the present owners of the canal, South West Water.

Students from the Molly Owen Centre, Tavistock, who are members of the Integrated Arts Group, worked with community artist Maggie Squire on a ?Banners and Decoration Project? to celebrate the canal?s bicentenary.

They have designed six banners which will be displayed in Tavistock throughout August.

From August 15 to 29 there will be music and arts events for visitors and locals alike as part of the anniversary ? and on August 29 Tavistock town mayor Norma Woodcock will unveil an engraved stone by the side of the canal.