Volunteers in Ellesmere, Shropshire, have taken advantage of unusually low water levels in the town's lake, known as The Mere, to clear out litter that would normally be submerged and hidden from view. The chance clean-up has been made possible by this summer being one of the hottest and driest on record, which has caused lakes and rivers across the country to run low, exposing debris that had accumulated on the lakebed over time.

Park ranger Lee Fraser said the group has already gathered "five big bucket loads" of rubbish, including bricks, pottery and mobile phones, covering roughly half the length of the town's promenade. Unlike previous years, when volunteers searched from a boat, this year they waded into the water itself, finding it far easier to spot debris close up. Fraser expects The Mere's water level to take considerable time to recover even after recent rainfall, while long-time volunteer Wendy Salter, who has helped for three years, said the litter varies widely given the large catchment area feeding the lake.