River Tees clean-up volunteers find everything – and the kitchen sink

MORE than 200 people – including dozens across the dale – helped tidy up the Tees at the weekend.
A three-day litter pick saw volunteers give up their time to clear the river banks of rubbish. Among the items found was a working e-reader, a kitchen sink and unopened bottles of booze.

At Barnard Castle, 16 volunteers from the town’s Christmas Lights group collected 25 bags of rubbish – including a car bumper. Other groups were out at Low Force and High Force. Volunteers were also out lower down the river at Stockton and on the beach at South Gare, Teesmouth.
The event was organised by the Your Tees Catchment Partnership and co-ordinated by the Tees Rivers Trust.
Trust manager Ben Lamb said following the success of a similar clean-up on the Skerne last October, it was decided to tackle the Tees.
Mr Lamb said he had been greatly encouraged by the response to the Tees Tidy Up.
“There were more than 200 people involved and everyone collected at least one bag. There were five businesses involved and nine other groups.”