Spring cleaning Preston's rivers to stop plastic pollution travelling out to sea

A motorbike, a trampoline and trolleys were just some of the items of rubbish collected at a litter pick in Preston.
Staff at the River Ribble Trust partnered with United Utilities to give Eaves Brooke a Spring clean to stop rubbish travelling to our seasStaff at the River Ribble Trust partnered with United Utilities to give Eaves Brooke a Spring clean to stop rubbish travelling to our seas
Staff at the River Ribble Trust partnered with United Utilities to give Eaves Brooke a Spring clean to stop rubbish travelling to our seas

Environmentally-minded staff from the River Ribble Trust and United Utilities joined forces, collecting 159 bags of rubbish from Eaves Brook.

Helen Thompson, community project and activities officer at the River Ribble Trust, said: “We chose that area because we know its a particularly bad spot for letter.

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“Eaves Brooke runs through a park and any litter there goes from Eaves Brooke into the Savick Brooke and the River Ribble which then makes its way out to the sea.

Volunteers from Plastic Free Preston clean up the MarinaVolunteers from Plastic Free Preston clean up the Marina
Volunteers from Plastic Free Preston clean up the Marina

“It’s beneficial for the wildlife in the area as well.”

In about three hours on Wednesday, April 3 the team managed to gather a staggering 159 bags of general waste, 47 bags of recycling and two massive piles of waste too large for bags including a motorbike, three trolleys, a trampoline and a mattress to name but a few.

Elsewhere volunteers for Plastic Free Preston were also out on a Spring litter pick at the Docks.

“More than 30 people picked 33 bags of litter from the Preston Marina on Saturday.

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Organiser Janet Jackson called the work a “heroic effort” and said: “We also did a brand audit of the plastic rubbish. We found 119 different identifiable brands with labels were still intact and legible.

“McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Cadbury were the three main offenders.”

Urging volunteers to keep up the good work Janet added: “There has been a sea change in attitude and opinion so let’s keep the momentum.”