A total of 190 shopping trolleys were recovered from the Chelmer during a weekend spring clean of Chelmsford's town centre river.

Scuba divers and volunteers carried out the operation. Barry Saunders, a borough council health chief, said: "The highest number recovered before was 60.

"It's a record, but not one for a town to be proud of."

Mr Saunders is pictured (centre) with technical officers Alan Pullinger and Eileen Lawless.

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