GLOUCESTERSHIRE Camera Club members have captured some stunning images of a kingfisher.

The bird was spotted fishing in the shallow waters at The Ocean in Stonehouse as the canal was drained for the new bridge to go in.

Many thanks to photographers: Bryan Harper; Phil Arnold; JPV Photography; Paul Ponting, and Justin Collinge.

Bryan Harper's photographs combine a series of shots in one image, capturing the kingfisher's swooping movement.

From December 24 to January 1, Network Rail worked round-the-clock to replace the railway bridge over the canal in Stonehouse.

The former bridge had a narrow opening too small to allow boats to pass under, so the work was a vital part of the project to link the Stroudwater Navigation Canal to the national waterway network.

The work was carried out by Network Rail on behalf of the Cotswold Canals Connected project, led by Stroud District Council and the Cotswold Canals Trust.

To enable the work to be safely completed, an approximately 230 metre length of the canal was drained between the Ocean swing bridge and The Narrows and the towpath is closed until March 2022.

A system of pumps and pipes is now keeping the water moving as the canal is slowly refilled.

Before the canal was emptied, thousands of fish were captured and released into the canal away from the work site. An environmental specialist has been keeping a watchful eye on the wildlife close to the site, including the local swan families.