By Jennifer Vernon-Edwards

Copyright bbc

The trust formed in 2011 to care for the lake, which is already used for activities such as paddleboarding, kayaking and rafting.

It was set up by Mark Benton, who chairs Manvers-Wath Boat Club, and Chris Hawksworth, now chair of trustees. It has 2,600 members.

Mr Benton said the white water course would help children reach elite levels of competition, as well as upskilling firefighters.

He said: “What we are hoping to build is absolutely world-class, one of the best training facilities in the world.”

The trust’s business plan is for a “purpose-designed artificial river channel” which would use pumps to lift water from Manvers Lake up into a top pool higher than the normal water level.

The water flow would then run down in a controlled manner similar to that of a river in the Alps.