PART of the Grand Union Canal in Leamington is a favourite dumping ground for its residents, as it has proved time and time again by the IWA clean-up of the canal through the town.

Last Sunday 80 volunteers spent the day dragging all manner of items from less that a mile of the waterway, with a total of 40 shopping trolleys, 28 cycles, three motorbikes, 20 tyres, a complete sign from a pay and display car park, a street sign for Llewellyn Road, several pushchairs, a pram, and various barriers and road works signs, Alan Tilbury reports.

Dumping ground

Spokesman Brian Bayston of the IWA told The Observer:

“Unfortunately canals are seen as a convenient dumping ground for rubbish and stolen items as the water hides all the evidence.

“It is frustrating that each time we do a clean-up we get another big hopper full of stuff despite having trawled the same bit of canal within the last couple of years.

“Of course grappling is not a precise art and it is easy to not find everything. In fact we know there are items we could not release from the mud even using the tug. It is obviously more of an issue when the canal is close to populated areas.

“It is similar to fly tipping but without the immediate visual impact, unless as a boater you get something around your propeller. “At least some of the community are getting involved in helping look after our heritage.”

Litter-pick

In addition to the items taken out of the canal a litter-pick along the towpath filled 20 sacks, clearly showing the attitude of the residents to its waterway.

There was a somewhat exaggerated statement that the IWA is a charity working to protect and restore the county’s 6,500 miles of canals and rivers...