Decades-old junk removed from marshes by Canal and River Trust

At first it tried to brush if off as "unsightly litter" and blame the public for fly-tipping, but reservoir owner Canal and River Trust has bowed to pressure from local campaigning, and removed boat-loads of plastic junk and debris from the protected east and north marshes at the Welsh Harp.

Canal and River Trust has a statutory duty as owner of the reservoir to protect and enhance the features of the SSSI.

Wheelie bins, supermarket trollies, car bumpers, car seats, dustbins, tyres, plastic chairs and traffic cones were among the skipfuls of items boatmen retrieved over two days.

The shallow water and deep silt did not make the operation easy, and several times operatives were out of the boat in chest waders in the thick sediment.

“The clean-up sends the first clear signal to the public that owners care,” said Cool Oak founder, Ben Watt. “Breaking the broken window culture around the Welsh Harp is the first step towards a cleaner future for the reservoir. I applaud this initiative from Canal and River Trust. There is still plenty more to do, but this is a great opening move."