Canoeists clear up River Derwent (From Gazette & Herald)

Canoeists clear up River Derwent

MEMBERS of Malton and Norton Canoe Club took part in a river clean-up on the Derwent in Malton as part of National Outdoor Week.

The stretch of river around County Bridge is regularly used by the club and members found it had become hazardous of late because of the rubbish thrown into the water.

Using open canoes, kayaks and ropes, the club fished out six supermarket trolleys, three bikes, three road signs, six road cones and a rubber dinghy, all in a 50m stretch of the river.

There are still more trolleys in the river which are stuck within silt.

The club wants to bring this problem to the attention to the people of Malton and Norton and raise the profile of the river which of late, members say, has become the enemy and not a beautiful natural resource to be proud of and look after.

If anybody in the Ryedale area is interested in canoeing and kayaking, they can log on to the Malton and Norton Canoe Club website at www.communigate.co.uk/ryedale/maltonandnortoncanoeclub

Updated: 13:23 Wednesday, May 14, 2003