Perched aboard a red and yellow kayak, Environment Minister Edwin Poots took to the water in the River Bann recently to assist with a litter clean-up.
Escorted by local resident Jon Medlow, the Stormont MLA made a startling discovery he has described as 'truly appalling'.
It was revealed that almost 20,000 plastic and glass bottles, 800 balls and 120 bags of rubbish had been hauled from Northern Ireland longest river over a nine month period.
At one point in video Minister Poots, who in an effort to clear the river of debris and improve the water and habitat quality for wildlife and nature, discovered a an abandoned car.
Speaking following the visit, Minister Poots said: “We all love getting out to enjoy the multiple benefits that our outdoors provides – the pleasant scenery, the exercise and the good feeling we get from being close to nature.
"But like me, many of you will have witnessed the ugly and damaging impacts of litter and dumped rubbish.
"Many of us are careful but others are selfish and lazy and simply dispose of things without thinking or caring about the effects. Those people need to change our ways.
"I’ve seen only one river today but it should be enough of a warning to us all whether it is in rivers, in our forests, on land or on our beaches– dispose of your waste and rubbish correctly, do not fly-tip or drop litter, recycle often, reduce the packaging you use and please, protect our natural world and keep it healthy.”
