A GROUP of dedicated volunteers cleared a whopping ten bags of litter from the River Worth. This is what they found in their haul.
River Worth Friends, a volunteer collective that cares for the River Worth and its tributaries in and around Keighley, collected the waste from the water by Pitt Street in Keighley on September 22.
The haul included a shopping trolley, described by the group as "a kids favourite to throw into the river", a cable reel, a bike and "the standard traffic cone".
But five items stood out.
Here are five of the strangest items they found.
Dartboard
A dartboard
Volunteers pulled a dartboard from the river.
One social media commentator said it looked to be in pretty good nick, and that with a bit of a scrub could be used.
Fire exit
A sign
Perhaps residing in the same category as the "standard traffic cone," a fire exit sign was picked up.
Cannabis farm equipment
Cannabis grow debris
The exact material is unclear, but volunteers believe it is linked to cannabis growing.
The waste that gets dumped typically includes a mix of plant material, growing media, and specialist equipment
Builders waste including toilet seat
Builder's materials - plus toilet seat
It's not very clear on this photograph, but a spokesperson for the group claims they found a toilet seat alongside building materials.
Some wood
Wood being lifted out
The least unusual find was wood.
The photograph shows volunteers hauling it from the water.
A haul of rubbish
River Worth Friends said on social media on September 22: "We were out this morning at Pitt St and removed 10 bags of litter but with a whole load of larger items too, some of which were: a shopping trolley (a kids favourite to throw into the river), cable reel, another bike, the standard traffic cone, a few bits of cannabis farm equipment, a toilet seat and a new one for us... a dartboard!"
A spokesperson for the hard-working bunch, who have met weekly since 2020, previously told the T&A that members do it "to protect and enhance the river by removing litter and fly-tipping and maintaining riverside footpaths and community areas."
They added: "We also tackle invasive non-native plants, carry out riverfly and pollution monitoring, and raise awareness of the river’s importance."
Councillor Ian Walker, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities said: “To see fly tipping like this in our rivers and canals and the areas around them is awful.
“I would like to thank the River Worth Friends group for taking action to help clear the area.
“The council takes fly-tipping seriously and remains committed to keeping public spaces clean, safe, and nice places for residents and visitors.
“Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, and we encourage anyone with information about incidents of this nature to report it via https://www.bradford.gov.uk/transport-and-travel/report-issues/report-fly-tipping/ or by ringing 01274 431000.”