A GROUP of environmental warriors took to the water in kayaks made of dumped plastic in the fight against pollution.

Anglian Water has provided the two kayaks in a bid to raise awareness about single use plastics.

The vessels are made entirely from waste plastic which has been collected from rivers and beaches across the UK.

The plastic has been gathered, melted down and moulded to form the kayaks.

They will be used by the RiverCare group in Colchester during patrols of the Colne.

The kayaks were launched at the club’s base on the banks of the river during the Great British Spring Clean - a month long initiative talking about pollution.

The campaign looks to collect and safely dispose of litter from streets, parks and beaches.

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The kayakers were also joined by Colchester MP Will Quince who said: “We really shouldn’t have to do it - litter isn’t acceptable.

“Sadly so much ends up in our rivers and waterways. We need to send out a clear message to people: Please don’t litter, it is polluting our environment.”

Anglian Water runs RiverCare and BeachCare projects to keep rivers and beaches clear of litter.

Regan Harris, from Anglian Water said, “We already have a proven track record of standing against plastic wastefulness.

“Our successful RiverCare and BeachCare programme, run in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, sees volunteers from across the region coming together to rid their rivers and beaches from litter and plastics.

“Over the past year, 45 groups have volunteered over 21,000 hours, collecting more than 50 tonnes of litter, much of it plastic from our rivers and beaches. These new kayaks will be a welcome addition to the team in their bid of keeping the rivers clear.”

Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “It is fantastic to see plastic being removed from our environment and being put to good use helping to protect our rivers and oceans from further harm.”