PICTURES: 'Debris island' removed from River Severn in Worcester

On Sunday June 23, teams from the Environment Agency and Worcestershire County Council’s Highways department joined forces to remove the rubbish, which had been swept down the river in the recent heavy rain and piled up at the side of Worcester Bridge.

Boat teams took to the water to remove the various pieces of plastic waste and litter from the island, which included a window unit and a small boat, before a highways grabber operator took away the larger pieces from the river.

One of the most substantial pieces making up the island was a large tree trunk, which was removed from the river and deposited onto the bridge before being loaded onto a lorry and taken away.

Worcester residents and passers-by stood next to the bridge watching the work, which got underway from 5pm.

The bridge was closed until 10pm eastbound from St John’s to allow the work to be carried out.

Last week, a Worcester resident called for action, branding the island of debris ‘disgusting’

Jacqueline Tonge, a volunteer from Herefordshire Wildlife and Countryside Conservation, said it ruined the city’s ‘iconic riverside’ and ‘made Worcester look like a third world city.’

The Environment Agency had to wait until the water levels from the flood had sufficiently receded before carrying out the work, with areas of Worcester such as South Quay remaining underwater for several days.

The clean-up operation took place at South Quay last week, with teams coming in and power-washing the pavement, removing the silt and swan droppings that were left as a result of the flood.

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