Divers who plunged into one of the city’s waterways for a clean up operation and found eight shopping trolleys have said the river bed is still strewn with rubbish.
Craig Morris, host at The Dive Line Podcast, and his team recovered litter thrown into the River Yare near Cringleford Bridge on Sunday.
Over the course of a few hours, the 58-year-old retrieved eight shopping trolleys, three bicycles, a single bed frame, two road traffic cones and an assortment of metal and scaffolding poles.
But Mr Morris, from North Walsham, said they had disposed of no more than a quarter of the rubbish in the river.
He said: “There was a considerable amount of litter in this location. There was more than we expected and we barely scratched the surface. For example, we pulled one shopping trolley out only to find there were two more underneath it.
“My colleague is actually going to pop into Waitrose to tell them where all their missing shopping trolleys have gone.”
The team used lift bags, which are filled with air, to bring litter to the surface. They come in different sizes and are strong enough to lift a car.
Smaller items of rubbish were put in mesh bags which are made from Nylon mesh and feature tiny holes to allow water to pass through.
Other equipment used by team included very bright torches due to the “murky” visibility of Norfolk’s waterways and thermal dry suits.
So far, Mr Morris, who works in compliance for the marine industry, has undertaken a handful of clean up dives across the county.
He began the venture during lockdown as he could no longer travel overseas to dive.
“I’m also very conscious about the environment and have always taken part in cleans and various charities,” he said, “When I could no longer do my trips I thought I could combine my two passions of looking after the environment and diving and putting them to good use. I’ve been surprised and disappointed by the amount of rubbish I have found.”
The most unusual items Mr Morris has found include some commemorative coke bottles from the 1984 Olympic Games and a vinyl record - although the artist’s name and track listing are illegible.
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