MORE than five tonnes of rubbish were removed from a one-mile stretch of the River Skerne in Darlington in a massive clean-up operation.

Officers from the Environment Agency, Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council joined forces to clean up the Skerne following a similar operation on the River Wear in Durham last week.

Shopping trolleys, plastic bags and security fencing were among the items dredged up from the stretch of river by South Park and along Victoria Embankment.

Phillippa Scrafton of Darlington Council’s waste and recycling services described the operation as “a roaring success”.

She said: “It does make such a difference.

“Some of the rubbish has been carried through from elsewhere, but we do get quite a lot of anti-social behaviour, people just throwing things in the river, and it spoils it for everyone else.”

Environment Agency officers waded into the river to collect the rubbish, passing it to council workers on the riverbank who loaded it on to a trailer to be transported to the council’s recycling facility on Whessoe Road.

It is the second time that the councils have joined forces with the Environment Agency to clean up the river and Andrew Foster, of the Agency’s operations delivery team, said it was a great example of what can be achieved by working together.

He said: “One of our normal courses of activity is clearing debris to reduce flood risk, but working with the council means that the litter is dealt with at the same time.

“Our responsibility is to keep the waterway clear, the council takes care of the litter, so it makes sense to work in partnership like this.”

The work supports the Litter Free Durham’s Big Spring Clean campaign which encourages residents to volunteer to help clear up their communities.

The initiative has helped arrange litter-picks across County Durham and Darlington throughout April and May and its chairman, Gerald Lee, said he was delighted to have the support of the Environment Agency and local councils.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted with the work they have done; the riverbank is immaculate now and it is a pleasure to walk through the park.

“When I went down to see the workers, their attitude was amazing, they were so positive and working so hard.”