What has happened to “our beautiful river”?

Littering has gotten out of hand in the BCP area.

On the 18th of October, an alarming amount of rubbish was found in the River Stour.

Suzanne Patterson and Helen Davies, local paddle-boarders, were out with Dorset SUP group when they came across heaps of waste.

It was apparent that individuals had dumped bin bags full of rubbish on the riverbank.

These bags didn’t contain just your ordinary litter; there was clothes, broken glass, toys and CD’s to name a few.

However, when they noticed the rubbish and the sheer amount of it, they were unable to collect it all and returned the following week with the necessary equipment.

“It was upsetting to leave a lot of it behind.” Helen explained.

Both women frequently paddle along the river but said they have never seen it like that.

“It’s absolutely despicable we couldn’t believe it, our beautiful river..how dare they.” Expressed Susan.

Helen then followed on to say, “it was premeditated, we’re quite disgusted.”

They believed that it might have been someone moving house, trying to get rid of their old belongings.

Since then, every time they go out on the water, they’ll bring their equipment in case they spot litter.

One of the main things that concerns them is the welfare of the wildlife.

“There’s a group of signets that we’ve watched grow up over the summer.” Suzanne mentioned.

They’re not just worried about the wildlife in the river, but the potential harm to pets that go near, “think of your dogs” Helen added.

The glass on the riverbank could injure a dog’s paw, or they could get caught in netting.

However, a lot of the time it’s so difficult to get to, that it would put them in danger to attempt to retrieve it.

They reached out to the council for help and support, but were faced with the response that they can’t monitor and control fly-tipping.

I spoke to councillor Mark Anderson, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place, regarding this issue.

His response was “if everyone takes their litter home, then we wouldn’t have a problem.”

He claims that “we have several people that do regular litter picks” and that there are plenty of bins scattered around, it’s just difficult to get through to every individual.

The pair just want to raise awareness and encourage people to be mindful with their rubbish.

They understand that it’s not always someone’s fault; it could be a result of the weather.

But for those who have participated:

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”- Helen Davies.