A LEGAL battle between a high-speed internet company and the owners of an 18th century canal has gone before three of the country’s most senior judges.

Telecoms company GEO Networks Ltd has been in dispute with the Bridgewater Canal Company (BCC) over paying for the right to lay fibre optic cables along the waterway path.

GEO currently pays BCC £12,000 a year in rent for running a standard internet cable beneath the Bridgewater Canal, which runs through Lymm.

But when GEO proposed installing new fibre optic cables, BCC said it would put up the rent.

The case is being closely watched by land owners and internet providers as a ruling in favour of BCC could have huge financial consequences.