Three cars removed from Gloucester and Sharpness Canal

The cars are believed to have been in the water for "some years"

Three cars have been removed from a stretch of waterway in Gloucestershire as part of an clean-up operation.

The vehicles were pulled out of Gloucester and Sharpness Canal near Hempstead Bridge by the Canal and River Trust.

The charity said it spends more than £1m a year clearing rubbish from the UK's waterways.

It said the cars were removed alongside numerous bikes, shopping trolleys and other dumped items.

The trust's Nick Worthington said: "We knew there was likely to be one car down there, but it's come as a surprise to us that there were another two waiting for us."

He added it was likely the the cars had been in the water for "some years", and said it was "a shame" that people continue to treat the canal as "a dumping ground".

The Canal and River Trust said it was "a surprise" to find as many as three cars in the water