Plans to gate off a ‘lethal’ stretch of canal that has claimed five lives in the last couple of years have been approved by council bosses.

The Undercroft area of the Rochdale canal – between Dale Street and Minshull Street – will be closed off from 10pm and 7am, despite protests from rights of way campaigners.

Padlocks will secure the gates and an outside contractor will be hired - at the suggestion of police - to open and close them each day, checking that there is nobody on the towpath before they are locked.

Boaters using the canal will still be able to open the canal locks when the towpath is shut and the mooring area will be separated off by railings.

A recessed wall – which the council says attracts anti-social behaviour – is also to be bricked up.

The move comes in the wake of claims the deaths there and elsewhere on the canal network have been caused by the so-called ‘Pusher’, a supposed serial killer, rather than by accidents and unconnected muggings.

Police and council bosses have strenuously denied that is the case.

Nonetheless police guidance provided to the council advises that the Undercroft is plagued by high levels of drug dealing, ‘lewd’ behaviour and muggings.

In pictures: The Undercroft

A report submitted to planners also notes that Manchester’s coroner remains concerned about the number of drownings along the stretch.

As a result the council says the only option is to close off the towpath, arguing all its previous warnings - and a CCTV presence - have not solved the problem.

City centre spokesman Pat Karney said: “It’s been a very complicated legal and consultative process but at long last the gates will be going up soon on the canal.

“The moment they go up they will start helping to save lives.

“A lot of the deaths have been people from outside Manchester who, despite the warnings and publicity, have no idea how lethal the area is – that they could get pushed into the canal by ruthless robbers or, if they have had a few drinks, simply slip in.

“Top priority is to stop the deaths. We have tried everything else and this is a huge step forward. Hopefully we won’t hear of fatalities being hauled out by the fire brigade.

"If you go in that canal, you have no chance of coming out alive.”