local residents and helpers from NCJ Media and Northumbrian Water, who joined North Tyneside Council Clean Neighbourhood Patrol Officers and Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
The cleanup day, on Friday 19 June, was organised by Living Waterways, a partnership with the Environment Agency.
Two sections of Seaton Burn were targeted. In the morning large amounts of builders’ rubbish, road signs and debris were removed from the Burn next to the John Willie Sams Centre. Local residents from Fordley and Annitsford joined the group in the afternoon, and removed a large litter blockage near Briarwood.
Jessica Grinsted of Living Waterways said: “Rubbish blocking streams can lead to flooding so, as well as making the stream more attractive for residents, these volunteers have helped reduce the flood risk. A cleaner stream is also a better environment for the Seaton Burn wildlife, such as frogs, ducks and kingfishers.”
The site was highlighted after a number of residents complained at the amount of rubbish in the stream. With help from North Tyneside Council, the Living Waterways project was able to organise the one-day event, as part of the Clean Stream Campaign.
Living Waterways works with local communities to improve urban streams by reducing flood risk and making them better places for wildlife. It is a partnership project between Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Durham Wildlife Trust and funded by the Environment Agency’s Regional Flood Defence Committee.
