(Image: City of Durham Parish Council)
Heaps of rubbish have been collected in a major clean-up in Durham recently.
37 bags of litter have been collected as part of the Durham City Riverscape Community's latest clean-up in the viaduct area.
Among the items recovered during clean-ups have been bicycles, ladders, refrigerators and other large pieces of discarded waste.
The City of Durham Parish Council backed a volunteer project that expanded its clean-up work beyond the River Wear last week after identifying several areas as growing hotspots for litter and fly-tipping.
The group was founded in 2022 and has since grown to include close to 120 volunteers, all taking part in monthly clean-up projects along the river and riverbank.
Durham City Riverscape Community in action on the River Wear
(Image: City of Durham Parish Council)
Volunteers work alongside rowing groups using paddleboards and boats to remove waste from the water, while others collect litter from surrounding public spaces.
Adam Shanley, Clerk to City of Durham Parish Council, said the initiative had grown significantly since it began.
He said: “We’ve got about 120 volunteers who are supporting us with that work and we are meeting every month – it’s just grown and grown.”
Despite removing large amounts of historic waste from the river over the years, volunteers say litter remains a persistent issue.
Adam added: "We noticed that we were collecting things that had been there for years, but actually after we got rid of all of that, we’re still at this present moment collecting somewhere in the region of 30 to 32 big bags of litter.”
Last week in the viaduct area, the group came across a bathtub that had been torn in two.
Mr Shanley said: “We went out in the viaduct area, and, in one shot, we collected 37 bags of litter – we saw things we never thought we’d see, including half a bath.”
One of the major problems the community has faced is discarded glass, which not only creates a waste problem but also a serious risk of injury for residents.
To tackle this, Durham Parish Council has urged local food and drink venues to replace glasses with plastic cups in the evenings – a change several venues have implemented.
The clean-up forms part of a wider campaign by the parish council and volunteers to improve the city’s environment.
Organisers say waste found in Durham comes from a mixture of littering, fly-tipping and items carried downstream through the wider River Wear catchment.
The Riverscape Community is preparing to target student neighbourhoods with information about recycling and waste disposal.
Volunteers and wardens will visit households to provide advice on recycling collections and offer support to residents experiencing difficulties accessing bins.
A look at the 120 volunteers taking part in last weeks Viaduct clean-up
(Image: The City of Durham Parish Council)
Organisers said education would be the priority before any enforcement action is considered.
Further litter picks are planned in the viaduct area and other parts of Durham, including neighbourhoods towards Neville’s Cross.
Mr Shanley added: “We’re going to really hone in on the Viaduct area because we’ve noticed that it’s becoming a real hotspot area for fly-tipping.”
So far, the litter picks have gained a lot of positive attention. One social media, one individual said: “You are doing a great job!”
Another person commented: “Well done everyone!”