STAFF of a Worcester storage company have been spending their free time cleaning up the canalside.

For the last few weeks the team at Stock N Lock Self Storage in Weir Lane, Lower Wick, led by business manager Anne Hutson have been trawling the canal towpaths from Diglis to Blackpole – even as far as Sixways – filling sacks with discarded wrappers, empty cans and crisp packets.

Miss Hutson said: "I feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful area of the country and I think it is a terrible shame to come across rubbish people leave behind when taking a stroll down the towpaths. At the moment there are baby swans and ducklings swimming around and it should be a magical place were it not for the litter bugs.”

Taking matters into her own hands, she organised a rota of her colleagues and persuaded them to join her on her early morning walkabouts. “We all need to do our bit and look after our countryside, Lock Stock and barrel,” Miss Hutson added.