DUDLEY Canal Tunnel and Limestone Mines has won a top award.

The attraction bagged the Canal and River Trust’s Living Waterways Award, which celebrates those who make a difference to the nation’s rivers, canals, lochs, lakes, reservoirs and docks, making them exciting places to live, learn and spend time.

“We are delighted to have won,” said Nick Morris, chief executive of Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust.

“It is a real testament to the tremendous amount of hard work by Dudley Canal Trust staff and volunteers to provide access to this remarkable historic site.”

Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust has championed the restoration, maintenance and enjoyment of the underground labyrinth of limestone mines and canal tunnels under Dudley for 55 years.

The new £3.7m Portal Visitor Centre at Castle Hill, with interactive exhibition gallery, learning space, restaurant and function room, shop and trip boat base, opened in October 2015.

“Over the past 50 years the trust has operated from temporary buildings adjacent to the canal and tunnel entrances, but has long worked towards creating a centre to enhance the wonders of the caverns,” Mr Morris continued.

“Our fantastic new Portal Visitor Centre has already doubled the numbers of visitors to the site since it opened just under a year ago.”

Christopher Rodrigues, chairman of the awards assessment panel, added: “This flagship visitor centre accommodates a wide range of activity and has allowed the Trust to grow from employing just two people with five volunteers, to employing 15, with 40 volunteers.

“The site is being successfully promoted to all age groups and we saw evidence of large numbers of young visitors being fascinated with their experience.

"The trust certainly deserves to be recognised for its remarkable work to promote and celebrate this important waterways site.”