Thank you for reply... £200-300
5 ft 2... prefer being upright not leaning onto handle bars.
Ah, not that much taller than me. I'm 4ft 11 btw.
In that case, I would suggest a junior bike, the Wiggins Chartres - a 26" wheel hybrid. I have one of these, and it's a comfy bike to ride, even on the crappy, cracked, gravel-covered and pot-holed rural roads I have to put up with around here. So it should more than cope with canal tow paths.
What
@Cycleops says is right - at the price point you're looking at, wider tyres run at a lower pressure will be equally if not more effective as cheap forks (and last longer). IIRC the supplied tyres are 1.5 inch Kendas, which should be more than adequate.
At the moment, the Chartres is on an offer at just a tenner over your budget.
https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/kids-bikes/wiggins-chartres-junior-hybrid-bike-26-wheel