The river of rubbish washed up by storms

STRETCHING across the canal basin, this raft of rubbish is grim testimony to our throwaway culture.

Plastic bottles, food packaging, polystyrene, carrier bags and even car tyres have formed the floating island in the shadow of the BBC headquarters in Salford. The eyesore in the Manchester Ship Canal is a frequent sight following bad weather such as the heavy rainfall brought by Storm Gareth.

David Lancaster, a Salford councillor, said it was part of ‘an ongoing battle with Mother Nature’.

‘We are aware of this particular buildup, which is in our waters, and we have begun removing it,’ he told the Manchester Evening News.

‘Five local rivers drain into the Quays so natural and other debris caught up in those rivers is washed down and accumulates. Debris builds up particularly quickly after heavy rain.’

BBC presenter Nicky Campbell posted a video of swans swimming in fly-tipped waste near the BBC complex last year.