A KIDDERMINSTER litter picking group has helped recover 23 shopping trolleys from the River Stour in an effort to aid wildlife migration.

The Pickup Artists helped clean up masses of litter from Stour water banks and areas surrounding Tesco in Stourport on Monday, November 20, and were joined by the newly launched Salmon in the Stour project, the Environment Agency, and the Wildlife Trust.

Volunteers worked together to successfully remove 23 trolleys, as well as collect nine bags of litter from the Stour riverside, stopping the waste from reaching the water.

Wyre Forest District Council were also there to help the big clean by collecting the litter bags for disposal.

The Salmon in the Stour project is a long-term plan to help remove barriers that affect the movement of fish, help tackle the causes of river pollution, provide habitats for threatened species, and to re-naturalise artificial banks.

The project is a partnership between the Environment Agency, The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and the Severn Rivers Trust, and covers the whole of the River Stour, including smaller watercourses that join it along its route.

Karen Blanchfield from The Pickup Artists, said: "The pickup artists were delighted to help and work alongside these agencies today and look forward to a future working relationship to help the overall aim of cleaner, healthier and safer nature areas.

"Today we were also joined by two new pickup artists and it was lovely to have their support.

"Tesco has agreed to take away the shopping trollies that came out of the Stour and they kindly provided lunch for all the volunteers.

"Great teamwork can have a massive successful impact in our communities and wildlife areas and for me today I really felt my litter picking was making a difference and helping nature.

"This part of the Stour has become neglected and polluted.

"We cleaned up the area in order to enhance the habitat so wildlife like otters, kingfishers and salmon can thrive.

Tarun Ingvorsen, Senior Project Officer of Salmon the the Stour, said: "It was emergency work that we carried out.

"The trolleys were acting as a barrier to migration, and this is a sensitive time of the year.

"Thanks to all the representatives from the groups who got involved.

"Hopefully this will lead to more volunteers and a healthier river."