A team of volunteers collected more than 130 bags of rubbish from the banks of the River Thames near Hammersmith Bridge in attempts to keep the river clean.

The litter pick, organised by Richmond council in partnership with community group, Thames21 and Continental Landscapes collected the most harmful materials from the river such as plastic and wet wipes.

With a focus on improving the local environment for both people and wildlife, councillor Martin Elengorn, cabinet member for environment, planning and sustainability, said: “This pick-up highlighted that we need to be more mindful of how we dispose our rubbish, particularly wet-wipes and other plastics.

“It is great to be able to work with our local partners on these environmental projects, we know how important the river is to everyone in the borough and we all need to work together to protect and preserve its environment."

The litter pick is part of a wider River Watch project aimed at better understanding the health of the Thames.

Thirty seven volunteers were able to successfully clear waste items including two shopping trolleys, two tyres and a bike, with all rubbish bagged and collected by the council’s waste collection service.