ECO-warriors raged against the rubbish after answering a call to clean-up Bridgwater and Taunton canal.

Environmental group Rage Against the Rubbish, organised the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal litter pick-up on Saturday, May 26.

Starting from the YMCA in Bridgwater, 28 people turned up to help.

Dan Perry, from Rage Against the Rubbish, said: “We were overwhelmed with the support from the community and it was great to see so many new faces. We would like to thank everyone for attending.

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“We paddled and walked towards Bridgwater Docks from the YMCA armed with our black bags and litter pickers and we collected rubbish from both the waterway and the tow path.

“We would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Sedgemoor District Council and the West Country Branch Inland Waterway Association (IWA). The council donated bin bags, bag hoops and litter pickers to our cause and the IWA also helped by supplying a boat with on-board rubbish, storage containers.

“The kayakers then transferred litter collected from the waterway on to the boat as they travelled up the canal.

“With all the additional help we managed to haul the largest amount of litter from the canal and tow path on a single litter pick and managed to cover 4km of the canal. Such a fantastic result.”

Bridgwater Mercury:

The IWA is a membership charity that works to protect and restore the country’s 6,500 miles of canals and rivers. 

Rage Against the Rubbish was formed by Dan, his eight-year-old son Riley, Jason Winter and Damien Vass, all kayakers, who regularly paddle along the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal. They were fed up with seeing vast amounts of rubbish and discarded items in the waterway.

Dan added: “Originally the clean-up started by accident and before long we realised just how much litter was actually in the water and surrounding paths, and this made us want to do more. This was our third litter pick of the year and it was a huge success.”

The next litter pick will be on Saturday, June 23, from 10am until 12.30pm but this time from the YMCA in Bridgwater heading towards the Boat and Anchor.  

Dan added: “We would love to see more people on the water and the YMCA are kindly offering us their double kayaks and Canadian canoes for people to use free of charge.

“There are a limited number available so if people would like to use one for our next litter pick, please get in touch.”

To join them, contact the group via its Facebook page, Twitter page or email rageagainsttherubbish@gmail.com. Nobody is too old or young to join but the group asks that all children are supervised by adults.

For further details about Rage Against the Rubbish, please email rageagainsttherubbish@gmail.com, follow the company on Twitter at @RageRubbish or log on to www.facebook.com/rageagainsttherubbish/.