This month's canal clean up proved a bit of a wash out with volunteers but despite the rain it still scrubbed up well.

A small group of volunteers rolled up their sleeves to join the Canal and River Trust as they set about clearing up Isis Lock.

The poor weather put a dampener on the painting and graffiti clean up but volunteers armed themselves with litter pickers to spruce up the river banks.

Volunteer Bill Manville, from Oxford, said: "I have been involved in the clean ups before, I like the canal to be a pleasant place to walk into town as I live close by.

"This time we focused on the litter picking and there was rather a lot of discarded bottles, cans and junk left in the ditch between the tow path and the canal.

"The litter is not a huge problem down there but it had built up over the last two or three months as this was our first clean up of the year.

"It is just good to do what you can to improve the environment and encourage more people to help out."

The community clean up along from Isis Lock is held monthly by the Canal and River Trust in a bid to keep the area tidy.

Volunteers help to tackle graffiti, litter, painting and tow path maintenance but Saturday's depressing weather proved off-putting for many this time.

A group of three tackled the tow path despite the cold and wet weather, Mr Manville said: "It was rather disappointing but hopefully more people will start turning up in the future."

Canal and River Trust waterway operative Kev Moore added: "This time we were litter picking along the tow path, we do it once a month up at Isis Lock and this was our fist one of the year.

"It is just about getting people involved to help make the canal as beautiful as possible.

"There was not too much to do this time but it is now quite clean down there at the moment.

"We will do these clean ups once a month and everybody is welcome to help out, the more the merrier and the easier it is."

The next community canal clean up to be held by the Trust at Isis Lock will be held on the Saturday, March 19, and volunteers will meet at the Lock at 10am.

The trust provides the cleaning tools and volunteers are just advised to wear sensible shoes and warm clothes.