AROUND three-and-a-half van-loads of rubbish including 15 bikes was dumped at the side of the Worcester canal towpath after being pulled from the water.

However, the public-minded people responsible left the debris on the towpath - which meant British Waterways, which manages the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, had to pull a team from another job to clear it away before it caused an accident.

A spokeswoman from British Waterways said they suspected that anglers who had cleaned up the canal were responsible. Only the areas around popular fishing points have been cleared.

"While we obviously appreciate the good intentions of people trying to clean up the canals it is not advisable for members of the public to lift things from the canal," she warned. "If organisations wish to carry out a canal clean we require a risk assessment."

No one from the Worcester and District United Angling Association was available to comment.