West Midlands canal rubbish is 'worst ever'

The pandemic has led to increasing numbers of people walking and cycling along the West Midlands canal network.

During the lockdowns, it has been a great way of keeping fit, but has come at a cost to the Canal & River Trust (CRT), which says the amount of dumped rubbish locally is the worst it has ever seen.

As budgets for clean-up operations have already been spent, the group is relying on legions of volunteers who are determined to keep canals free of litter.

A CRT spokesman said: "The drop must stop. Our canals can't continue to be fly-tipped and filled with rubbish.

"It's not good for boating, it's not good for people and it's awful for wildlife."

A BBC Midlands Today cameraman used an underwater camera to show the scale of the problem on the Walsall Canal.