Paddleboarder Elsa Swietlik scooping litter out of the Regent’s Canal

MORE than 150 kilograms of litter have been collected from the Regent’s Canal by paddleboarders this year, as the debate about how to clean up Islington’s waterways rages on.

Just this year, 110 people have used their weekends to join volunteers at Islington Boat Club in fishing out tiny bits of plastic from the canal.

Nicola Baird, a paddleboarder and regular volunteer, said the group had collected 79 trugs of litter since January, totalling 158 kilograms.

Ms Baird told the Tribune: “In City Road Basin we play litter-pick bingo and always find cigarette lighters, vapes, children’s toys, balls, crisp packets and something strange. Last session that was a dustpan – it’s a very strange item to end up in the canal.” She added: “It’s a great way to clean up our beautiful waterway and to get some exercise. Please do come and help us.”

Cigarette lighters, vapes, children’s toys and crisp packets are among the items that have been found

Their efforts come as campaigners continue to call for the Canal and River Trust to install bins on the towpaths to reduce the levels of litter left behind by visitors.

In recent months, photos showing the huge amounts of waste piling up next to the canal have shocked local residents and regular canal users.

Oliver Moseley, a campaigner for Cleaner Canals, said that a lack of bins had resulted “in appalling levels of waste which are an eyesore and a threat to the wildlife”.

He added that the CRT “insult everyone’s intelligence by claiming that providing bins has no impact on the levels of rubbish dumped by the waterside”.

Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson from the CRT said that they had invested £70million in engineering projects, “with millions more spent on dredging and everyday repairs”.

They added: “Litter is one area people can really help make a difference. Our volunteers do an amazing job clearing rubbish from our towpaths and canals – whether that’s people’s litter or where it’s blown in off the streets, leaving us to deal with the problem. And we continue to ask everyone who visits to follow the countryside code and take their litter home.”

• To join the volunteers, register at www.bookwhen.­com/sup