Volunteers trying to clean a popular Darlington pond are getting ‘frustrated’ after Durham Wildlife Trust has made no impact on an infestation of duckweed after a year.

The beauty spot at Brinkburn Pond on Hartington Way has been completely choked with duckweed and residents have tried to mobilise to fight back.

Last year it was announced that there would be a £20,000 grant available to try to clean the attraction.

Locals are frustrated at the lack of change they can see despite thousands being spent over the last few months.

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Sandie Tenwick, one of the core volunteers at Friends of Brinkburn, described how plans seemed to ‘get lost in the system’ and never materialised.

She said: “You just can’t see a difference despite all that money and the pond skimmer.

“We just want to work with Darlington Borough Council and Durham Wildlife Trust.

“We suggest plans and ideas and then they just get lost in the system.

“When they told us that we were no longer allowed to independently volunteer here that frustrated us.

“We have been working here for months to clean our community nature reserve.

“We hope that in the upcoming council meeting we will be able to sort out a plan going forward.

“They need to listen to us and take our views on board.”

The Northern Echo: Brinkburn pond remains covered in duckweed

Pictures taken this time last year show that despite money being spent on the beauty spot little improvement has been made.

A spokesperson for Durham Wildlife Trust said: “It is extremely important for volunteers to be properly insured, especially while working on a water-based site.

Volunteers associated with the Friends of Brinkburn Pond elected earlier this year to work to an agreed plan under the direction of Durham Wildlife Trust, and under the supervision of the Trust’s expert staff. That meant they were adequately insured.

Where individuals have decided to work independently, and are not supervised by the Trust, or act outside of our direction, they are not covered by our insurance.

They are entitled to do that, but this is a site owned by Darlington Borough Council, and it is our understanding that the council has asked volunteers not to work independently.

Durham Wildlife Trust greatly values the huge contribution volunteers make, but safety must always be our main priority.”

Trisha English, another core volunteer, described how Durham Wildlife Trust had built up expectations for an American pond skimmer.

She said: “We waited for 8 months and we were told that it was going to clear the whole pond.

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“I thought it was going to be motorised and move around the pond automatically but it needs to be pushed.

“We did a better job clearing with nets from the shore.”

The Friends of Brinkburn will be having a meeting with Darlington Borough Council and Durham Wildlife Trust in the coming weeks to work out a plan for the future.