KEEN eco-warriors in Bridgwater are being invited to Rage Against the Rubbish by joining a canal-cleaning initiative.

Action group Rage Against the Rubbish is organising the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal litter pick-up on Saturday, May 26 from 10am until 12.30pm.

Dan Perry, from Rage Against the Rubbish, said: “Rage Against the Rubbish was formed by myself and a group of kayakers who regularly paddle along the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal.

"We were fed up with seeing vast amounts of rubbish and discarded items in our beautiful waterway.

“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 will be our third litter pick of the year and we are calling for more people to get involved. Our canal clean will start at the YMCA in Bridgwater and we will paddle and walk towards Bridgwater Docks."

People are urged to join the group on the litter-pick and to contact them on Facebook, Twitter or by emailing rageagainsttherubbish@gmail.com.

Dan said: "No one is too old or young to join in as our youngest member is my eight-year-old son, Riley, but we do ask that all children are supervised by adults.”

Rage Against the Rubbish will be collecting rubbish from both the waterway and the tow path. Volunteers who intend to collect from the water will need to bring their own kayak/canoe, buoyancy aid and preferably public liability insurance included with the British Canoe Membership.

The West Country Branch of the Inland Waterway Association (IWA) has also offered to help support the litter pick event by supplying a boat with on-board rubbish, storage containers.

The kayakers can transfer the litter collected from the waterway on to the boat as they travel up the canal. The IWA is a membership charity that works to protect and restore the country’s 6,500 miles of canals and rivers. 

Dan added: “If volunteers could please bring with them gloves and a few bin bags that would be appreciated. Also, if anyone has any litter pickers, please bring them along too.”

The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal litter pick will take place on Saturday, May 26 from 10am until 12.30pm from YMCA George Williams Centre on Friarn Avenue in Bridgwater.