VOLUNTEERS are hoping more people will join them for the next canal and river clean-up in Oxford.

A small group rolled up their sleeves at the weekend to clean up around Isis Lock.

Volunteer Bill Manville, from Oxford, said: “I have been involved in 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 towpath 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.”

Every month volunteers help to tackle graffiti, litter, painting and towpath maintenance in the events organised by the Canal and River Trust in a bid to keep the area tidy.

Canal and River Trust waterway operative Kev Moore added: “It is 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.

“Everybody is welcome to help out. The more the merrier and the easier it is.”

The next event is on 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.