Did you know that in Richmond the Thames gets ‘cleaned’ every year by volunteers?

For annual maintenance of its locks, the tidal river is allowed to fall naturally between Richmond and Teddington - when volunteers are meeting by Tide Tables café to clean the riverbed on Saturday November 18.

Even if you’re not one of those selflessly sticking on wellies and picking litter, this day gives an opportunity to enjoy rare views of the Thames.

The event has been run by The Environment Trust, an independent Twickenham based charity, for many years now and attracted over 60 volunteers in 2016.

Elliot Newton, nature conservation manager at the Environment Trust said: “The Thames is fascinating from an ecological perspective, in the 1950s it was practically dead in terms of the biodiversity which it supported.”

“However, it is now one cleanest urban rivers on the planet. The tidal element alone is said to support about 125 species of fish, which include trout and critically endangered European eels.

“It also provides a home for species such a porpoise and seal, only recently a harbour seal was seen predating on a European Eel from Richmond Bridge.”

He added: “If you head further downstream you can even find sea horses!”

Trollies and glass bottles are frequently encountered on the day, but if you’re lucky you could come across Victorian clay spoke pipes, which were regularly just thrown into the Thames.