A newly-formed group seeking to conserve the River Waveney will be holding its first clean-up event in Diss.

The River Waveney Association (Diss) has been appealing for volunteers to come forward and clear litter from the water and banks and will have its first litter pick behind the Tesco store in Victoria Road on December 3.

In the short term, the association is aiming to improve the river water between Denmark Bridge in Diss and Stuston Common, but the long-term objective is to link up with like-minded residents in neighbouring towns to form a trust conserving the whole length of the river.

The Diss group was launched at a meeting of up to 10 residents at Diss Corn Hall last week, attended by Diss town councillor Beth Dewhurst, Harleston sailor Geoff Doggett and representatives of Keep Britain Tidy and the Environment Agency.

Mr Doggett described how his passion for the river was stoked by numerous canoe trips he had made with a friend to Diss during the last 34 years.

However, he said in recent times he had problems passing through the section of the river behind the Tesco store in Victoria Road, saying it was often blocked with rubbish and the water level was low.

He offered a vision of a River Waveney returned to how it was in the 1930s when sailing boats could easily pass through and the river was clean.