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Tonnes of rubbish including shopping trollies and traffic cones have been cleared from a Halifax stream as part of a push to clean-up Calderdale’s rivers.

The items found dumped in Hebble Brook by FORUS Tree community group and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust even included a sofa.

Surveys of 42km of river also carried out as part of the project resulted in the native White Clawed Crayfish being rediscovered in Luddenden Brook.

Ineke Jackson, Project Manager for the Environment Agency, said: “The Reviving Calderdale’s Rivers project has been focused on improving the ecological health and water quality in Calderdale and we have seen great results.

The clean-up was aimed at boosting habitats and water quality

"The expertise of everyone involved has led to really positive improvements for wildlife along the rivers by protecting riverbanks and reducing the impacts of invasive species.

“We’re looking forward to working with our partners on other exciting work starting this year. This will use the valuable information we’ve gained from the surveys to improve the ecological health of Calderdale’s rivers even further.”

The £50,000 clean-up project was aimed at improving habitats and boost water quality in Calderdale.

It was managed and delivered by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and jointly funded by the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water.

A population of native white clawed crayfish that was thought had been lost was also rediscovered as part of the project.

Work also included removing invasive Himalayan Balsam and installing willow spiling to prevent riverbank erosion.

Halifax MP Holly Lynch wrote to Yorkshire Water earlier this year asking them to explain why the River Calder was the UK's second most polluted waterway in 2021 and demanding to know what they are doing about it.

Shopping trollies, traffic cones and even a sofa pulled out of Halifax stream as part of clean-up