Volunteers joined the capital’s leading waterway company as part of a project to clean up some of the dirtiest stretches of the River Thames.

The Cleaner Thames Challenge, run by charity Thames21, saw volunteers work in the Isle of Dogs to rid the area of plastic bags, shopping trolleys and tyres littering the waterways.

The annual clean up on Friday 20 follows last year’s challenge, which had over 260 volunteers take part by removing 8 tonnes of litter from three areas of the Thames.

Chris Coode, senior programmes manager at Thames21, said: “Volunteers in our annual Cleaner Thames Challenge have dramatically reduced the build-up of harmful litter on the foreshore.”

The project’s organisers said litter can choke or entangle river and marine wildlife, causing injury and death.

Thames21 is an environmental charity that works with communities to improve their rivers, canals, ponds and lakes for people and wildlife.

This year, Thames21 joined the movement for Trash Free Seas, having been part of the International Coastal Cleanup, which is the world’s largest volunteer effort to help protect ocean, lakes and rivers.

For more information visit: www.thames21.org.uk/cleaner-thames-challenge-2013/