Lib Dem Councillor takes to the river for paddleboard litterpick

A Lib Dem councillor has recovered significant amounts of rubbish out of the River Great Ouse in Huntingdon, including plastic waste that dates back to 2016.

District Councillor for Huntingdon East, Cllr Nathan Hunt, litterpicked the section of the Great Ouse between Huntingdon Riverside Park and the Causeway in Godmanchester, using a paddleboard to navigate the waterway.

He managed to fill multiple buckets with plastic and other waste - with some of the stranger finds being plastic toy eggs, a nerf dart, and full two litre bottle of soft drink.

The oldest piece of rubbish recovered via the paddleboard was a plastic bag used to package chives, which dated back to 2016 - nearly a decade ago.

Cllr Hunt said: “I'm really passionate about keeping our river and park clean - and sometimes that means taking things into my own hands.”

“It's shocking how long litter can remain in the environment for, so picking it is absolutely vital. We all have a role to play in getting rid of our rubbish properly and protecting our waterways.”

“Water companies also need to be investing in infrastructure to reduce the amount of sewage that they discharge into our rivers - both here in the Great Ouse and across the country.”