The River Bann's kayaking litter-picker

Jon Medlow has spent the last seven months cleaning the River Bann.

The Portadown man first ventured on to the water in August 2019 with his brother-in-law, and was shocked at the amount of rubbish he found.

"I just couldn't get over it," he told BBC News NI.

"Since I've started, I've pulled out nearly 9,000 bottles, over 255 footballs, and filled around 67 bin bags of general rubbish."

Due to the amount of waste, Jon bought a dinghy to tow behind his kayak, which he fills with the detritus he collects.

He then contacted Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, who made him part of their "Adopt-a-Street" scheme, external.

This means they provide him with support in the form of black bin bags, and also help to dispose of the waste he lifts from the water.

"The river is a big asset to the town," explained Jon.

Video journalist: Tori Watson

"To see it go to waste is something I don't agree with, so I'll stick at this until the job is done."