Kidderminster canal cleaned up ready for festival (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Kidderminster canal cleaned up ready for festival

7:10am Thursday 6th September 2012 in Local

TWENTY-four shopping trolleys were pulled out of a Kidderminster waterway in preparation for this weekend’s Canal Festival. 

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) spent the day on Monday cleaning up the walkways and pulling rubbish from the water.

Nine of the trolleys were linked together in a row and belonged to Marks and Spencer.

Volunteer Alison Smedley said: “We were told they cost about £100 each. As long as they are cleaned and sterilised they will still be usable.”

Bicycle wheels, a whole bicycle, several concrete fencing posts and the remains of a mattress were also found in the water.

Fifteen volunteers from the Birmingham, Black Country and Worcestershire Branch of IWA, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Society and the Canal and River Trust helped in the clean-up.

A spokesman for Marks and Spencer said: “We’d like to thank the Inland Waterways Association for returning the trolleys to our Kidderminster store and support their efforts to keep the local waterways clean.

“All our trolleys at the store have a pound coin lock system to help ensure they are safely returned.”