Around 70 sacks of rubbish and 50 supermarket trolleys were fished out of a Tonbridge river as part of a clean-up following the winter flooding.

A crew from the Environment Agency took to the water on Tuesday to clear litter, left over from the bad weather, from the Botany Stream in Tonbridge.

They paddled the length of the waterway with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s refuse and recycling contractor, Veolia, who helped to dispose of waste and clean the river bank.

It was part of a programme of work being carried out to recover from the effects of the flooding earlier this year.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s cabinet member for environmental services, cllr Owen Baldock, said: “The council was very pleased to have been able to work with the Environment Agency to ensure that the Botany Stream was properly cleared of debris following the flooding.

"It certainly looks so much better and marks a turning point in our flood recovery programme.”

Tony Young, operations field team leader at the Environment Agency, said: “Kent faced an extraordinary combination of weather conditions over the winter period but our recovery is now under way.

"My team have used their environmental leave day to come along to Tonbridge and help clear up the Botany Stream, and we were delighted to help out.”