A LITTER clean-up is under way to clean up the rivers of the Gwent Valleys by the Keep Wales Tidy campaign.

Yesterday contractors tackled the riverbanks of the Sirhowy River in Ynysddu, plucking a large collection of bollards, bed springs and bin bags of rubbish from the area.

It was the latest phase of the Keep Wales Tidy's Afonydd Gln/ Clean Rivers project in the Caerphilly county borough council area.

Project manager John Bell (pictured) said: "I think it is important to get all members of the community involved and raise awareness of the need to keep the river environment and surrounding areas tidy.

"The project is all about local people helping to care for their river." He hopes that once the initial work is finished, community groups and local businesses will adopt stretches of the river and keep litter at bay, extending the work whi-ch eight volunteer river care groups carry out through the county.

Anne Morris, who works at the Mog Cabin in Station Avenue, Ynysddu, next to the river, said: "It's terrible, there's people throwing their rubbish in there all the time."

Donald East, 73, from High Street, was quick to praise the campaign's efforts, which extended to cleaning out litter from the nearby allotments where he has a plot of land. "It looks so much better, it's a really excellent thing they are doing."

Anyone is interested in forming a river care group they can call John Bell on 029 20 256767.