Last weekend the local Newbury Canoe Club held a canal cleanup as part of the Big Paddle Cleanup (sponsored by Paddle UK), held nationally. Ten members of the club paddled eastwards along the canal from the club house as far as Bull’s Swing Bridge, scouting for trash. It was a gorgeous day to be out on the water and paddling alongside the banks seeing so many damselflies out as well as young ducklings.

They managed to find:

• 3 yellow tennis balls
• 1 wooden spatula
• A large plastic cool box with lid
• 1 mop bucket
• Wine bottles
• Beer cans
• A large soggy tent with metal frame
• A thermarest
• 1.5m twisted Iron bar
• 1 yellow traffic cone
• 1 semi drowned mouse that hopefully will survive…
• About 2 small bin bags of rubbish

One member, Blake Ludwig, had this to say: “These clean-ups are a vital part of preserving our river and canal’s health and not only helps the water to flow more freely – it also helps remove any possible contaminants to the water and wildlife.”