BUSINESSES and residents pooled resources to give their canal a much-needed spring clean.
Volunteers from Brighouse cleared rubbish from the banks and water of the Calder and Hebble Navigation.
The clean-up, along a half-mile stretch of the canal, received a helping paddle from Pennine Canoe Club, who pulled all sorts of rubbish from the canal, its walls and reed banks.
On land, residents turned out in force to assist with tidying the towpaths, after hearing about the event in the local press and through Prego restaurant’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
Within a few hours the volunteers had filled a large skip with rubbish including a pram, a traffic cone and 176 bags of dog waste.
The clean-up was organised by Lidia Shinwell, from the Waterfront Lodge Hotel, and Euan Noble, from ROKT climbing centre.
Both were saddened by the state of the canal and the towpath.
The event was also supported by British Waterways who provided cleaning equipment, The Calder Navigation Society, who supplied a barge, and Calder Future.
Now the Waterfront Lodge Hotel, ROKT and Pennine Canoe Club hope to run boat tours of the canal for visitors.
And the hotel and ROKT hope to organise a clean-up of the river Calder and Hebble Navigation twice a year.
Ms Shinwell said: “Despite the rain we had 45 people come along on the day and so much support from local businesses, such as Ploughcroft, ROKT, Sainsburys, Holiday Inn and Screen Print.
“We achieved a lot in the few hours. It was such a great atmosphere.
“We’re a town in a recession and we have to pull together to make the best of our resources.
“The Navigation and the river Calder are underused and it’s a beautiful place for walking and fishing.
“We should be looking after the land where we are living. I’ve lived in Brighouse all my life and I’m passionate about it.”
Another clean-up is scheduled for October.
Anyone interested in donating supplies, equipment or lending a hand should email:
