Organisers say the project could take 15 years to complete

The Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust set up the ambitious scheme four years ago with the initial task of raising �20,000 to fund a feasibility study.

A study was carried out in January and the trust has since written to local groups to ask for their support.

A spokesman said the project needed a big partnership behind it if it was going to succeed.

Building tunnels

The feasibility study concluded the project was possible and would take about 15 years to complete.

The trust wrote to 11 organisations including all of the borough and county councils in the area as well as British Waterways and English Heritage.

Trust chairman David Adams said: "All of them have either written or told us they will be supporting the scheme.

"We are planning to set up a meeting in October to move this project forward and apply for funding, which we'll do in stages."

He said the canal was out of use and the most expensive part of the project would be building tunnels where the new A5 road cuts across it.