VOLUNTEERS pulled on their wellies and got knee-deep in mud yesterday (Wednesday) to remove litter from polluted Eaves Brook in Preston.

Abandoned supermarket trolleys, rusting bikes, discarded Christmas trees and even tin baths were among the rubbish dumped in the stream, near Deepdale allotments.

The volunteers were helping to restore the brook to its natural state for National Spring Clean week, and to promote the start of the third year of Green Partnership Awards.

The event, which was arranged by the Ribble Valley Initiative, also attracted local allotment holders to help out.

North West Water's community partnership officer Sharon King said: "It was a chance for us to get personally involved and see for ourselves the benefits that Green Partnership Awards bring to local communities."

The partners , including the borough councils of Preston, South Ribble and Chorley, North West Water, Lancashire County Council, and West Lancashire District Council, provide cash grants to community groups who put forward schemes that improve their local environment.

Any organisations wanting details about the partnership should contact Tim Blythe at Lancashire County Council on (01772) 264186.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.