A FLEET of canoes set sail on a spring cleaning voyage yesterday.
The boats, manned by staff from Middlesbrough Borough Council, New Deal and youngsters from the Hemlington Lynx youth scheme, went out on Hemlington Lake, near Middlesbrough, as part of Tidy Britain's Just Bin It campaign.
Their aim was to clear litter from the surface and the reed beds surrounding the lake, as a step towards improving the landscape for anglers.
Large stretches of the lake are out of bounds because of the foot-and-mouth just now.
Councillor Ken Hall, commissioner for the environment, said: "Michael Meacher, the environment minister, has stressed how a clean and tidy environment adds to people's sense of well-being and quality of life.
"The work at Hemlington shows our commitment to improving the environment for local people, but we need their help to ensure we build an environment that is sustainable and attractive to visitors and investors."
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