Dredgers to clear 1,100 tonnes of silt from river

Mud and silt will be scooped out of the River Soar with adapted barges

A dredging operation is to clear more than 1,100 tonnes of silt that has built up on the river bed through Leicester.

The Canal and River Trust (CRT) said the work was to take place over the next four weeks along the River Soar at Limekiln Lock, near Abbey Park, and at Freemans Meadow Lock, near the King Power Stadium.

The trust said it wanted to make sure the river remained navigable for boats.

It said the £140,000 operation would also help the environment and wildlife by removing litter and plastic that had built up in the water.

The river has become silted up close to the King Power Stadium

Richard Bennett, the CRT's nature recovery manager, said: "We know from speaking to boaters that these sections of the River Soar are a priority, so we're really pleased to be able to improve things for them and make a visit to Leicester that bit more appealing.

"Dredging also brings important benefits for nature, and we hope that this project, on top of the great work being done by our volunteers and partners to tackle the problem of litter, will mean that the river is cleaner, greener and more welcoming to local wildlife."