0:00:01 > 0:00:05Every day, a never-ending war is being waged across Britain
0:00:05 > 0:00:07to clean up our towns and countryside.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09There's no excuse for it
0:00:09 > 0:00:11and that is what winds me up the most.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14They just have no regard for nature.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19From tons of cigarette butts, dogs' mess and household rubbish,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22to mountains of tyres and skip-loads of builders' waste.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25We don't want to see it in our countryside
0:00:25 > 0:00:27and it also costs a lot of money to remove it.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29It's a shame, finding a fly-tip in this area
0:00:29 > 0:00:33because it's obviously an area of outstanding natural beauty.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We're on the front line of the clear-up
0:00:36 > 0:00:38and the fight back,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41with the dedicated teams tracking down the rogues
0:00:41 > 0:00:44and putting the Great back into Britain.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49It may harm your defence if you fail to mention something you later rely on in court.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53On today's programme - is it a bird? Is it a plane?
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Put it this way - it's a secret weapon to keep our streets clean.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58It's a pop-up urinal.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02These units stop hundreds and hundreds of litres of urine
0:01:02 > 0:01:04on the street every night.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08And the incredible images that brought to book
0:01:08 > 0:01:11these young and carefree fly-tippers.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Unknown to them, we had CCTV in the car park
0:01:15 > 0:01:18capturing every single move they're doing there.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Welcome to the world of Filthy Rotten Scoundrels.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Now, this sounds more like something from a holiday programme
0:01:38 > 0:01:39but bear with me.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Our green and pleasant land is crisscrossed by a network of canals
0:01:43 > 0:01:45that run for thousands of miles.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48These were designed as trade arteries
0:01:48 > 0:01:51to transport merchandise in the industrial revolution.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Today, these picturesque man-made waterways are more likely to be filled
0:01:55 > 0:01:58with narrowboats that chug along at 4mph,
0:01:58 > 0:02:03carrying holidaymakers and houseboat owners alike on leisurely trips.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06On a sunny weekend,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09this place is heaving with onlookers
0:02:09 > 0:02:13who come to look at the boats, look at the scenery.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16It's very pleasant to walk along the banks
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and, of course, there's an excellent pub to go and have a drink in.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Who could ask for anything more?
0:02:23 > 0:02:27What a lovely way to spend a day or even a week.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32But there's something terribly wrong with this idyllic picture.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34The water might look pleasant here
0:02:34 > 0:02:38but lurking underneath is that same old, same old problem.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- Laptops.- Car tyres.- Television sets.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45- Chairs.- Poopy-scoopy bags. - Adult toys.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47- Guns.- Baby car seats floating down.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50You're kind of wondering, "Where's the baby?"
0:02:50 > 0:02:53- A cow.- Shopping trolleys.- A coffin. - Ladies' shoes.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55A massive, big long sari.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57They've even found an ice-cream van.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00It just beggars belief sometimes what you find and what you see.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05Oh, yes. You did hear correctly. Someone did say "a coffin".
0:03:05 > 0:03:10Needless to say, none of this goes down well with the people who want to enjoy the canals.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12I'm really passionate about what we do.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16It's a great lifestyle and it's a great heritage.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18It goes back for hundreds of years
0:03:18 > 0:03:21and when you think of what it took to build these things
0:03:21 > 0:03:24and the backbreaking work that went into them,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28it's such a shame to see it spoilt by modern society, you know.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33This is the Coventry Canal, a 38-mile stretch
0:03:33 > 0:03:36connecting the Trent and Mersey Canal just north of Lichfield
0:03:36 > 0:03:37to the city of Coventry.
0:03:39 > 0:03:45The problem is so bad here, that they have to mount a full-scale clean-up operation
0:03:45 > 0:03:48every single week, just to keep it clear and navigable.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And this is the bunch of canal Wombles
0:03:50 > 0:03:53from an environmental charity, the Living Environment Trust,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56who regularly set sail on their litter boat
0:03:56 > 0:03:59to pick up the things that everyday folk leave behind.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00Or should I say selfish folk
0:04:00 > 0:04:03who couldn't give a monkey's about the canal
0:04:03 > 0:04:06or the people who use it?
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Raffy Tentindo is the Trust's manager.
0:04:09 > 0:04:15Victims of litter in the canals are obviously wildlife that lives on the canal
0:04:15 > 0:04:19in the first instance but, of course, also boat owners that try and navigate the canal.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20In addition to that,
0:04:20 > 0:04:25canals are a lovely environment to walk along and enjoy
0:04:25 > 0:04:28and obviously, if they are covered in litter,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31it's not as enjoyable as it could be.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Also on board is Roland Matthew from Coventry Council,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40a man with 12 years' experience of cleaning up after the litter louts.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42A wheelie bin.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Now, that's what I call dedication.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- Try and get it in. Try and get it in.- Yeah.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48I don't get it.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52Surely it's easier to get your bin picked up from your front door
0:04:52 > 0:04:54rather than drag it all the way down here?
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Thank God it wasn't full of water or else it would have sunk more.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04We'll use that to put a bit more rubbish in, I think.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10We get quite a few wheelie bins, lots of cans and bottles.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14The one thing it all has in common is it's never worth anything,
0:05:14 > 0:05:15unfortunately.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20The wombling booty may be worthless but it's not harmless,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22easily damaging the narrowboats.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25The canal is not very deep.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It's about one, one and a half metres deep,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31so even if you have an item like a shopping trolley,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34your boat might hit it and it might get damaged,
0:05:34 > 0:05:35the hull might get damaged.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39And the most harmless-looking flotsam can be the worst.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43Rubbish like this, which is material of some kind,
0:05:43 > 0:05:48if that gets wrapped around a propeller like that,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52as your propeller twists, it will catch this and it will wrap round it
0:05:52 > 0:05:53and jar your propeller.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58And why that is a problem is, A, it's quite difficult to get off
0:05:58 > 0:06:03and B, with material like this, it's difficult to rip,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07so it makes it very hard to get your propeller clear.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Which is exactly what happened to Christopher
0:06:10 > 0:06:13when he ploughed into someone's cast-off clobber.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15It is the very devil to get off.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20It took me two hours. We had to call in our...
0:06:20 > 0:06:23On the boats we've got the equivalent of the RAC
0:06:23 > 0:06:28or the Automobile Association, called the River and Canal Rescue.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30I had to get those guys out. I couldn't do it.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34So we were upside down through a weed hatch for about two hours,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36literally trying to cut this jacket off,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40inch by inch by inch, and it just took forever.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Imagine if you had to do that before you could start your car in the mornings.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47You can see why these boat owners are fed up.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51When the water's icy cold, it's terrible.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Luckily enough, I don't have to do that. My husband does it.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59So I just get all the nice jobs.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02What's the boat equivalent for house proud?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Raffy! Raffy!
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Back on the litter cruise, another serious hazard,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13this time, a DIY delinquent, no doubt,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and if this is the haul in the countryside,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19wait until you see what it's like in the towns and cities.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33And that's why the Rochdale Canal, which runs through Manchester,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35needs an extreme clean-up operation.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37British Waterways is going to drain
0:07:37 > 0:07:41a 100-metre length of the Deansgate section of the canal
0:07:41 > 0:07:45but a deep clean after these antisocial dumpers comes at a price.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48The cost of littering and waste is something
0:07:48 > 0:07:50that is increasing year on year.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Last year, we removed over 50 tonnes of waste from the canals,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57costing us over £30,000.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Across British Waterways, the total cost
0:07:59 > 0:08:02of dealing with waste like this is about £300,000 a year,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06which is an enormous cost and is money that we can't then spend
0:08:06 > 0:08:08on repairing the lock gates or the towpaths.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Did you hear that? £300,000 a year
0:08:11 > 0:08:13to clear up after the thoughtless rogues
0:08:13 > 0:08:16who treat the canals as their own personal dustbin.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And these guys are fighting back.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23The idea today is to drain this section of the Rochdale Canal
0:08:23 > 0:08:25in the centre of Manchester.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28We've had to drop the water gradually
0:08:28 > 0:08:30so that we don't flood the area further down the canal.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33We've put our litter boat onto the bottom of the canal bed
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and that's operating, really, as a large skip.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39We'll put all the items in there.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Then we can refill the section of canal and float that rubbish out.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46We've got an agreement with the city council to provide a skip.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48We can get the rubbish loaded into a skip
0:08:48 > 0:08:51and have this section cleared up.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54We'll be back with the clean-up teams later in the programme.
0:08:54 > 0:09:00Prepare to be amazed by the modern horrors lurking beneath these ancient waterways.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10Bright lights, big city - we're in London's West End,
0:09:10 > 0:09:11the centre of the capital's night life.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16You think there's a glamorous story coming, don't you?
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Something exciting to make a nice change from all the rubbish in those canals.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Well, that couldn't be further from the truth.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25I'm afraid this is all about something even more disgusting -
0:09:25 > 0:09:27people who urinate in the street.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29I'm sorry.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34This bustling hub attracts over 200 million visitors every year
0:09:34 > 0:09:38and let's face it, at some point, most of them are going to want to spend a penny
0:09:38 > 0:09:41and for some filthy scoundrels, their convenience of choice
0:09:41 > 0:09:44is a pavement or doorway.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47But that's probably because they haven't yet encountered Ian and Martin,
0:09:47 > 0:09:52two of Westminster Council's crack squad of filth fighters.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It's going to be a busy, busy night. Let's hit the road, Jack.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Tonight, their beat will take in the alleyways and secluded squares of W1
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and they're going to have to be careful where they tread.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Here in Westminster, the amount of urine that is deposited on the street
0:10:07 > 0:10:09is absolutely phenomenal,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11particularly on a Friday and Saturday night.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15It's a quality of life issue. It doesn't make the streets smell nice.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20I can imagine, Ian, and spare a thought for the people who live here.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23The worst thing, especially down this street, about someone peeing
0:10:23 > 0:10:26is one, it's vulgar and two, it smells down here.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30You can easily get a whiff as you're walking down here. It's disgusting.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I completely agree. Peeing on the street is just not acceptable
0:10:33 > 0:10:38and I'd much rather there be a place where someone could pee if they needed to.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41So Westminster Council has introduced a natty idea
0:10:41 > 0:10:45to deter men - I'm sorry to say it, but it really is mostly men -
0:10:45 > 0:10:49from urinating in the street - a pop-up urinal.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Ian and Martin are paying it a visit - you know, so to speak.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55This is one of the busiest streets in Westminster.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59This is a known spot for urination. They've put this urinal here.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It will rise out of the ground.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04So come on - let's see it then. Drum roll, please.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06DRUM ROLL
0:11:06 > 0:11:10This Dutch invention is £7,500 worth of hi-tech toilet.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Pretty impressive, eh?
0:11:13 > 0:11:16This is my first time to see one come out of the ground.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Even more impressive, it saves the council tens of thousands of pounds
0:11:20 > 0:11:21in clean-up costs.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25These units stop hundreds and hundreds of litres
0:11:25 > 0:11:27of urine on the street every night,
0:11:27 > 0:11:32which costs Westminster Council thousands of pounds to clear up.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Well, let's just hope nobody tries to use it when it's only halfway up.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39And there it is in all its glory. Brilliant!
0:11:39 > 0:11:43This calls for a rousing speech.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Do we really want visitors coming to a world-class city
0:11:45 > 0:11:47and having to smell urine 24 hours a day?
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Do we really want young children having to walk through this stuff? No, we don't.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55We want people to come to Westminster to enjoy themselves,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59see the sights, have a bite to eat, go home, have a good night's sleep.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Well said, Ian. We all agree, don't we?
0:12:02 > 0:12:05People urinating in the street is disgusting.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07You like to see London as a clean place
0:12:07 > 0:12:10and you don't want people urinating in the street or throwing litter,
0:12:10 > 0:12:14so you want to recommend places like this
0:12:14 > 0:12:16and say, "There's places you can go to.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19"You don't have to worry about it when you've got things like this."
0:12:19 > 0:12:22You never know when you need to go
0:12:22 > 0:12:25and when that's there, then there's no better option.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30So the night patrol begins in earnest
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and from an alleyway up the street, Martin's getting
0:12:33 > 0:12:34that same unmistakeable aroma.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38My nose isn't great but you can smell it from here.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39However many loos there are,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42a dark alleyway never seems to lose its appeal
0:12:42 > 0:12:45for those with a few pints inside them.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53This is a typical street that we will have to flush
0:12:53 > 0:12:58probably every morning of the week,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00certainly on a Saturday and Sunday morning.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04It might be due to people who have left their offices, gone out for a beer or two,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07heading towards the tube,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09decided they wanted to produce their pennies,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12along they come, do that and away they go.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Revolting. I don't care how many drinks you've had,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19it's not an excuse for using the capital's streets as a toilet.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22More on this glamorous story later in the programme,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25when some dirty desperado gets the dreaded tap on the shoulder.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28When you've finished, we need to have a word with you.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38A world away from those grimy city streets now.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43This is the historic village of Steventon in Oxfordshire.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46It lies within the Vale of the White Horse,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49a stunning area that is popular with walkers, close to the Cotswolds.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53In recent years, locals have created a new beauty spot
0:13:53 > 0:13:55by the main route into the village.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01The woodland stretches over 25 acres and was the brainchild
0:14:01 > 0:14:03of a family of Steventon farmers.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05This area used to be,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07on the farm, an area of meadowland
0:14:07 > 0:14:09and now we've got it planted up with
0:14:09 > 0:14:11a whole variety of hardwood trees.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15But Becci and her family don't keep this beautiful spot to themselves.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18They have created a community woodland.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23We thought that it would be a benefit to open it up to the public as well,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26so that they could also enjoy it for walking, taking dogs around
0:14:26 > 0:14:28and enjoying the wildlife.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Judith and the aptly named Bracken have been walking here since 2004.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38It's just a lovely area. There's not many places like it.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46It's free from cyclists and joggers and you can let the dogs go
0:14:46 > 0:14:50and you can see all the different trees and shrubs
0:14:50 > 0:14:51at different times of the year.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Hang on a minute! This isn't Countryfile, you know.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57You've guessed it.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01If you go down to the woods today, you could be in for a big surprise.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Well, a big pile of fly-tipped rubbish, anyway.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Some of those attracted to the woodland seem to have no respect for mother nature.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13This is the car-parking area to the community woodland
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and we've suffered enormously over the past few years,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20particularly with fly-tipping sort of around this area.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26We do get an awful lot of household type rubbish
0:15:26 > 0:15:29being tipped here on a regular basis.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Becci's been finding waste on her land almost every week.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Can't these people read?
0:15:35 > 0:15:39I just don't like seeing my area - because I consider it...
0:15:39 > 0:15:42not my land but, you know, it's where I walk
0:15:42 > 0:15:47and where I live and I don't want it to look a mess.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49And nor would I, Judith.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53This is the English countryside at its best.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57It's a haven for butterflies and nesting birds.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Surely locals should be able to enjoy it without being faced
0:16:02 > 0:16:05by loads of old builders' waste and piles of gravel?
0:16:05 > 0:16:10And wait till you here what else has ended up here.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14We've had things like entire kitchens that have been ripped out
0:16:14 > 0:16:17either by builders or perhaps DIY enthusiasts.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Kitchens in a country car park? Disgusting.
0:16:20 > 0:16:26What kind of person would cook up trouble in Becci's beautiful woodlands?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28A filthy rotten scoundrel, that's who.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31These fly-tips aren't just unsightly.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32They can pose a serious hazard.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Well, tin cans and bottles, if the bottles are broken...
0:16:35 > 0:16:40I mean, he goes off after anything that smells good.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43If there's food left in a container, he will go and investigate it
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and so will my friends' dogs.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49They come out licking their lips and you wonder what they've eaten.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Judith's got a point here. This woodland is popular with dog walkers
0:16:53 > 0:16:55and Bracken should be able to run freely
0:16:55 > 0:16:59without having to worry about cutting his paws on a broken bottle.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02But it gets worse.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05It's just probably half a mile, if that,
0:17:05 > 0:17:10from the Oxfordshire County Council tip in Drayton...
0:17:10 > 0:17:13What? Did you say half a mile up the road?
0:17:14 > 0:17:18It's just probably half a mile, if that,
0:17:18 > 0:17:23from the Oxfordshire County Council tip in Drayton,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25so I think a lot of the problems stem
0:17:25 > 0:17:28from where people perhaps either miss the opening times
0:17:28 > 0:17:30or perhaps there's a big queue.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34That's rubbish, that is. There's a tip just two minutes away
0:17:34 > 0:17:38yet people are too lazy to dump their junk in the right place.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41People drive past it and throw it in a nice area like this
0:17:41 > 0:17:44that someone's been kind enough to donate to the community.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46It's just not right
0:17:46 > 0:17:50and it makes you wonder what their own places are like, quite honestly.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Exactly. If they treat a beauty spot like this,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56how do they live themselves?
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Surprise, surprise. Becci's found yet more fly-tipped waste in the car park this morning.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06It's not a huge amount today but it's still unsightly and harmful.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11But there's a guy she knows to call in a situation like this.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Council worker Colin Marshall used to be a police officer.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16Yes, I know -
0:18:16 > 0:18:19even former police officers are looking younger these days.
0:18:19 > 0:18:25For the past four years, Colin's dedicated his super-sleuthing skills
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- to tracking down fly-tippers. - Everybody's got to live in
0:18:28 > 0:18:32this environment and we try and keep it clean and tidy
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and the last thing people want to see is people fly-tipping in the area.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39If we keep it clean and tidy, it's just a better way to live, isn't it?
0:18:39 > 0:18:41And in his quest for a better life,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Colin's become a frequent visitor to the community woodland.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49He's determined to put a stop to the rubbish.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Right, Colin, you strike me as the kind of guy
0:18:52 > 0:18:54who has a van full of gizmos and gadgets.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Go on - reveal your secret weapon.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00A pair of gloves? Is that it?
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Right, OK, then.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Ideally, what I'm looking for is names, addresses on letters,
0:19:07 > 0:19:13any receipts or anything that can identify for me
0:19:13 > 0:19:15as to who may have caused this fly-tip.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20Colin gets a report of at least one fly-tip each day on his patch.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Before the rubbish is disposed of, he investigates every single one
0:19:23 > 0:19:27to see if he can find evidence to bring the culprits to justice.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30I do enjoy my job, particularly when I can get a link
0:19:30 > 0:19:33to the person who may have done this fly-tip
0:19:33 > 0:19:36in the first place, and if we get a prosecution, even better.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41But our knight in shining vest hasn't found his holy grail today.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45The scoundrel who did this lot didn't leave any clues.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48This location counts as private land,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51even though the car park is open to the public.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Just wait till you hear what this means for Becci.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57When people dump household rubbish down here,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02as a landowner it's then entirely my responsibility to clear that up.
0:20:02 > 0:20:08We have to use our time, our vehicles to take that rubbish down to the tip
0:20:08 > 0:20:13and if you have a van, as we do, you need to pay to do that.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15So it's incredibly unfair.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20Unfair? Becci, you are a very polite lady.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24So, a whole lot of hassle and a great big bill is the thanks you get
0:20:24 > 0:20:27for opening up your woodland to the great British public.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Charming.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32But just because the council doesn't pick up the tab for clearing Becci's woodland
0:20:32 > 0:20:36that doesn't mean sites like this are safe for fly-tippers.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Colin's determined to catch the crooks wherever they operate.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44He's recently pulled out all the stops to tackle fly-tipping
0:20:44 > 0:20:46on this site.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49What we did, we came down here, we put in some covert cameras.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53We put one camera just in the tree just over there
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and also the second camera just over there
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and that covered the entrance to the car park.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03With the two cameras set up, Colin waited.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Now, these aren't your ordinary CCTV cameras.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09They're programmed to alert Colin by text
0:21:09 > 0:21:11when somebody pulls into the car park.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15I knew he'd have a handy gadget somewhere in that van of his.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17For weeks, nothing unusual happened
0:21:17 > 0:21:19and Colin went about his business.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22But then he got lucky.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Early one Saturday evening, the special camera sent a message
0:21:25 > 0:21:27to his mobile phone.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30The text alerted him
0:21:30 > 0:21:33to some dodgy behaviour in the woodland car park.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37The blue Alfa Romeo car turns up into the car park.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38He's turning the car round.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Oh, no. You're not going to see anything from there, Colin.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47What's great about this is my camera's pointing in this direction at the moment
0:21:47 > 0:21:52and you think, if they stop there I'm not going to get a great view
0:21:52 > 0:21:55but as you can see, they turn the car round,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57perfectly for my camera point of view.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The driver's getting out the vehicle now and the passenger's
0:22:00 > 0:22:02getting out as well.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05They go to the back of the car.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07And what a sight.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Out it comes.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11If there were a fly-tippers Olympics
0:22:11 > 0:22:13these guys would be in contention for a medal.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15They're just chucking it out,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17not having any regard to the environment at all.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21So this is their idea of a fun Saturday night out.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Do these two jokers have no shame?
0:22:24 > 0:22:26They're having a bit of a laugh about it at the same time.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30But they'll be laughing on the other side of their faces soon.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34Unknown to them, there's CCTV in the car park
0:22:34 > 0:22:36capturing every single move they're doing there.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39You can see quite clearly the registration number of the vehicle,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43plus you've got great shots of the people involved as well.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47You've got the driver identified, you've got the passenger as well.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50With the details there, I can trace the owner of that vehicle
0:22:50 > 0:22:54and find out who those two guys are in that car at that time.
0:22:54 > 0:23:00They're only there a couple of minutes, so after they've chucked out the desk top, off they go.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05But those couple of minutes were to cost them dear.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08When Colin tracked down the culprits,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11they admitted dumping office furniture in the car park.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16They said they'd taken it there when they couldn't get into the tip.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20The driver was sentenced to 80 hours' unpaid work
0:23:20 > 0:23:23and his passenger was given a four-week curfew.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25They each had to pay £100 costs.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I don't think they stopped to think about their actions,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33about when they drive off and they leave all of their rubbish somewhere,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35exactly who's going to clear that up for them,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38in whose time, at whose cost.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It's just completely selfish.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Well said, Becci. It's a disgrace.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47But thanks to Colin and his trusty texting cameras,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50the fly-tippers had better be on their guard.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54It has died down quite a lot in this area.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56We get, every now and again, the odd fly-tip in this area
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and of course we come out, we investigate it,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01try and find out further evidence
0:24:01 > 0:24:04and if we can, we try and take that to court if need be.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Bright lights, big city...
0:24:20 > 0:24:23No, I'm not fooling you this time, am I? We're back on wee patrol
0:24:23 > 0:24:25in London's West End
0:24:25 > 0:24:30and next stop on Ian and Martin's tour of the capital's urinating hotspots
0:24:30 > 0:24:32is Craig's Court, just off Whitehall,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36where residents have complained to Westminster Council
0:24:36 > 0:24:39that thoughtless louts are turning it into a sewer.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42It's quite a well-to-do little cul-de-sac.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44A very well-to-do cul-de-sac.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48This is where the allegations of urinating was going on,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51so we'll just have a look and see if there's anything so far.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55At night, it might look like a secluded spot for the desperate
0:24:55 > 0:24:59but these poor residents are regularly waking up to wet doorsteps.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00It's pretty disgusting.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- There's no wet spots that I can see. Can you see any, Martin?- No.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05It's all very quiet.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09With no-one to catch in the act, there's not much our boys can do.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Westminster's rogue urinators are proving rather elusive.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It's probably a little early yet.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20The pubs haven't closed yet, so what we'll have to do is come back later,
0:25:20 > 0:25:25because there's no evidence of any peeing going on at the moment.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27No wet spots, no nothing.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Perhaps they'll have more luck at chucking out time.
0:25:31 > 0:25:37Urinating in a public place causes such a problem for Westminster Council
0:25:37 > 0:25:39that it costs them over £100,000 every year
0:25:39 > 0:25:41to regularly flush the streets.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- Martin, look.- Unbelievable.- Yeah.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Directly opposite the police station over there.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Police station just there, pile of urine there.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Look what's behind you. The urinal.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03Unbelievable. There really is no excuse for this mess.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06If you can find that corner to pee in, you can find that urinal.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09That stinking is already annoying my nostrils.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13I think we're all rather glad this isn't smelly vision, here.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17These guys are on a mission to educate rogue pee-ers to think twice
0:26:17 > 0:26:20before they unzip and instead find a urinal.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25The tricky thing is catching the culprits in the act.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29I think we just missed somebody doing something that you're not supposed to
0:26:29 > 0:26:32because there's clearly...
0:26:32 > 0:26:36This looks like almost fresh urine, if that's the right term.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39It looks very, very recent.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43It looks very, very fresh.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50So, yeah, it's starting.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Never mind starting - the floodgates have well and truly opened.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04There's evidence of urination here and there's a smell from that.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08It absolutely reeks. It absolutely smells disgusting.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- I feel pretty nauseous at the moment.- That's disgusting.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16- My stomach is churning somewhat. - Don't want to stand here for too long.- No.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17I don't blame them.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21All this public urination is enough to make you sick
0:27:21 > 0:27:23but cleaning it up now would be a waste of time.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26There's no point getting the flushing crew down now
0:27:26 > 0:27:29because in another hour it will be the same again,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32so basically, it will be the end of the night,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35come first thing tomorrow morning, 6am, this will get flushed
0:27:35 > 0:27:37and get cleaned
0:27:37 > 0:27:40and good for the people that use London during the day
0:27:40 > 0:27:42and it won't smell like this.
0:27:42 > 0:27:47I'm glad I'm not in your shoes tonight, lads, but at least you're wearing them.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49We'll get it swept up.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53A lot of females in the West End,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55for reasons best known to themselves,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58walk around with bare feet.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02So we don't want any of them walking on that and cutting themselves.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05I know it's a very, very strange habit but they do.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10I'm sure they wouldn't do it if they knew what was on these pavements.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14The number of them that we see carrying their shoes in their hands, walking in bare feet
0:28:14 > 0:28:17along the streets of the West End, it's quite phenomenal.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20I'm no expert but I think it's got something to do with wearing high heels, Ian.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Now, here's an alleyway where the council have thoughtfully provided a urinal,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36so this should be a sweet-smelling paradise, right?
0:28:36 > 0:28:41It's more than one person. It's a pond, really,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43and the urinal is just behind them.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46It's there - why not use it?
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Again, unfortunately, it looks like we've just missed them.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Just as well for the thoughtless culprits.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56If you're caught with your pants down, you face an £80 fixed penalty
0:28:56 > 0:28:58or an appearance in front of a magistrate.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02Pretty humiliating.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04And so far, Westminster have a 100% success record
0:29:04 > 0:29:06when they prosecute.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Wait a second.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13And what's this? They've caught someone in the act.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16When you've finished, we need to have a word with you, yeah?
0:29:16 > 0:29:18- Right, have you finished?- Yeah.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- My name's Ian, I'm from Westminster City Council.- Hi, Ian.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25- I'm his colleague, Martin. - This is Martin.- How are you doing?
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Right, any idea why we want to talk to you?
0:29:28 > 0:29:31Yes, because I just did something I probably shouldn't have done
0:29:31 > 0:29:33that I would like to have not done
0:29:33 > 0:29:36but there you go - I'm busted.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38You were "busting", more like.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42I'm going to report you for the offence to Westminster City Council.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45I tried as hard as I could not to
0:29:45 > 0:29:51but there is just such a lack of toilets.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Can you believe it? He's clearly taking the Michael.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58- There are public toilets... - I'm really sorry. I'm really sorry.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01- ..dotted around the area. - I know there are, I know there are.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05- There's one just round the corner. - It's just round the corner?
0:30:05 > 0:30:11To be honest, like, I didn't see that and I'm really sorry
0:30:11 > 0:30:13that I didn't see that. I looked for it.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Not good enough, mate, even if you've clearly had one too many.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20Look behind you, son. Look behind you - that's someone's front door.
0:30:20 > 0:30:21It's a good reality check.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24People actually live and work around here.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26These alleys are not public urinals.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31Right, I'm going to ask you for your name, address and date of birth, please.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34And finally, no matter where you've been urinating,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Ian still expects you to wash your hands. You've been told.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Oh, thanks!
0:30:41 > 0:30:43HE LAUGHS
0:30:43 > 0:30:46This is brilliant. Excellent.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51We're off to Doncaster now,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54where the landscape is being regularly blighted
0:30:54 > 0:30:56by mountains of dumped used tyres.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00Doncaster Council is on a mission to deal with the tons of tyres
0:31:00 > 0:31:02which are dumped in their area.
0:31:02 > 0:31:08Last year, there were a staggering 6,500 of them
0:31:08 > 0:31:11off-loaded in 450 separate fly-tips.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16This is now costing the taxpayer millions of pounds.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21Doncaster alone shelled out £3.5 million worth of tax payers' money
0:31:21 > 0:31:23to remove fly-tipping.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Dumping of tyres is a big part of that
0:31:27 > 0:31:30and we need to do something about it.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Environment enforcement officer Rob will do whatever it takes
0:31:34 > 0:31:36to stop this polluting practice.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40We want to prevent the fly-tipping happening with the tyres.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43What we've been looking at is signage put up
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and regular patrols in the area.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51Today Rob is checking out a dump reported by local residents.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02We've got a serious issue with the burning of tyres, here.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07A couple of weeks ago we had up to 70 tyres in this ditch here.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Since then, they've been burnt.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14This is a serious issue because what's happened now
0:32:14 > 0:32:18is that the chemicals will have gone into the soil and damaged the soil.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23Any water what's running through here will pick up the chemicals.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26The trees have been damaged, as you can see - burnt - and we're left with
0:32:26 > 0:32:30some huge charred areas of metal. Metal is spread all over.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32This is quite a serious issue, environmentally.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35You're telling me.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37You can't get much more filthy and rotten than this.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41Tyre fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish
0:32:41 > 0:32:44and the oil and heavy metals they contain
0:32:44 > 0:32:46create whopping air and ground pollution
0:32:46 > 0:32:51and this mounting toxic problem is very difficult to link to a culprit.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54I mean, it's not like your average tyre carries any ID.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Ideally, we'd like to be able to find evidence within this waste.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Unfortunately, we can't investigate it unless we've got proof
0:33:02 > 0:33:05of where it's come from, so it's just a case of clear-up
0:33:05 > 0:33:08and clear-ups are very expensive.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13But don't despair. The fight-back has begun.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Some brilliant brains have come up with a way of giving tyres the equivalent of a fingerprint.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20It's a liquid that even Harry Potter would be proud of.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28This enables us to imprint these tyres with a special code.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33The code then, basically, can track these tyres back to where they came from,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36which is a really good piece of our armour to try and stop fly-tipping.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41Sounds ingenious, doesn't it? And the best bit is how simple it is.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45Rob's on his way to a regular inspection at a tyre garage,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47where he'll mark all of their used tyres.
0:33:51 > 0:33:57What this does is it harbours a specific identification code within it.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Each bottle leaves an invisible unique code on the tyre,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03which means it can be traced back to a particular garage.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Amazing, but there's nothing hi-tech about the process.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Go on - get stuck in, Rob.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17I'm just going to drop some of this on. Very simple procedure.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21It just goes straight on and it marks it straightaway.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24Bish, bash, bosh. I told you it wasn't exactly hi-tech.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Every splash that goes on here has the unique code for this bottle
0:34:28 > 0:34:33and then if these are found fly-tipped, we'll be able to identify it.
0:34:33 > 0:34:38An unscrupulous tyre-disposal company would not be able to see the markings.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42They're only visible using a special hand-held device.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Can you see how it's glowing? So if we came across these tyres,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49we'd have to take a sample of the area
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and that would go along to be identified to the lab.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56You can see the identification number what's gone onto these tyres here.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00But for Rob, that will just be the beginning of his investigation.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03He could be looking at a rogue disposal company,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06who will take a garage's money but just fly-tip the tyres,
0:35:06 > 0:35:10or a dodgy garage who want to avoid legitimate disposal costs.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14Like I say, we try to do it right by getting people to take them away,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17which costs probably between £12-15,000 a year
0:35:17 > 0:35:20which actually comes out the profits of the company
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Other companies who are doing the fly-tipping,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26if they're not paying for them to be taken away,
0:35:26 > 0:35:30they're £12-15,000 a year better off than what we are.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33That's a lot of money to any company.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38For a crime where it's almost impossible to collar a culprit
0:35:38 > 0:35:42unless they're caught red-handed, this liquid is a real leap forward.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46We think it's a really good tool for identifying the fly-tipping of tyres
0:35:46 > 0:35:48and it's a good way forward.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51'It gives us an avenue of investigation.'
0:35:51 > 0:35:56Tyres are one of the most difficult forms of waste to dispose of
0:35:56 > 0:36:01and a mind-blowing 50 million of the things are discarded every year in Britain.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05Under EU law, chucking used tyres into landfill has been banned
0:36:05 > 0:36:10since 2003. A significant proportion are now recycled, retreaded
0:36:10 > 0:36:13or safely burnt for energy. But for all the rogues out there
0:36:13 > 0:36:16who are thinking of just dumping them, beware.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19This magic liquid is coming to find you.
0:36:22 > 0:36:27All aboard again now for a cruise along Britain's beautiful canals.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31Narrowboating should be a joyful glide through unspoilt countryside
0:36:31 > 0:36:35but there's a constant blot on the horizon.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Some idiots will come and throw rubbish in
0:36:43 > 0:36:45because they can't be bothered to deal with it.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51They probably look at the canals as a convenient dumping ground,
0:36:51 > 0:36:53throw it and forget it.
0:36:54 > 0:37:00It's disgusting. We don't like messes on our bankside,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02nor in the canal.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Is that clear enough for you, litter louts?
0:37:06 > 0:37:09At least the rubbish left canalside
0:37:09 > 0:37:12or floating on the water is easy to reach,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14but when it sinks, there's only one way to find it -
0:37:14 > 0:37:16pull out the plug.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22This stretch of canal through Manchester city centre
0:37:22 > 0:37:25is so polluted, it's having to be drained
0:37:25 > 0:37:29so a team of intrepid deep cleaners can go in to root out the rubbish.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33They've got waders on. They're at least thigh waders if not chest waders.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35They've got waterproof coats, lifejackets.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40We've got hard hats because we don't want anything falling on them.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Obviously, protective gloves.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44They have to be vigilant in there.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48We do sometimes in certain locations find syringes,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52so they need to be aware of that and know how to deal with that.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54There's a layer of silt in the bottom of the canal,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57so wading through is a difficult process,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59never mind carrying the junk we're taking out.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Some of that's quite heavy, quite bulky,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06so, yeah, it isn't easy.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10That's the understatement of the year, Mark. It's dangerous and disgusting work.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Oops! Steady on.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16What have you got there? It looks like half a bus stop.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20And there's more, much more.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Road cones. Is that a pub sign?
0:38:23 > 0:38:25A table and chairs? More road cones.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28A bike. Lost party shoe.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31A cigarette bin. And more chairs?
0:38:31 > 0:38:35You can hardly believe that Manchester folk have a seat to sit on.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38A planter and a shrub
0:38:38 > 0:38:41and a veritable sea of glasses and plastic cups.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46There's even a three-metre long cast-iron girder.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47It's just extraordinary to think
0:38:47 > 0:38:50that people deliberately choose to dump here.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54People have actually physically thought to themselves,
0:38:54 > 0:38:56"Yes, I'm going to take this to the canal
0:38:56 > 0:38:59"and I'm going to throw it in there," and they do.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02And it's not just the narrowboat people who suffer.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05There's consequences for us landlubbers, too.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08The problem that we find with the rubbish on the canal bed
0:39:08 > 0:39:11is that it can block up our by-washes,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14which is our mechanism for excess water to get round
0:39:14 > 0:39:17that lock. If we have that being blocked up,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20then we're quite likely to have flooding issues,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23whether that might be flooding the towpath or a bigger effect,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26depending on the location - it could flood wider areas.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31So we all benefit from a clean-up, not just the narrowboaters,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34who can sail through without fear of dangerous floaters
0:39:34 > 0:39:37jamming up their propellers.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41We're supposed to be coming down these locks tomorrow, so hopefully,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43British Waterways will have finished here,
0:39:43 > 0:39:47and it's a good job because we might have caught a lot of this stuff they've got in here,
0:39:47 > 0:39:48got that caught on our prop.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52So at least this is one area where we know we're not going to have any problems.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54By the end of the operation, nearly three tons
0:39:54 > 0:39:57of canal rubbish has been collected.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Unbelievable! Well done, guys.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03That's a brilliant job you've done for the community, so they can enjoy this amenity.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06People love to come down here,
0:40:06 > 0:40:08they cycle, they walk and jog, just enjoy themselves
0:40:08 > 0:40:11by the waterside. It's where people want to be.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13And when people tip stuff in the canal,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15that spoils it for those people
0:40:15 > 0:40:18and ruins something which is a wonderful leisure facility
0:40:18 > 0:40:19that we have in this country.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22Well said, sir.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25So, how's it going along the waterways in Coventry?
0:40:25 > 0:40:28The volunteers are doing their valiant best
0:40:28 > 0:40:32with their low-tech if effective equipment - litter tongs.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35But they have a secret weapon -
0:40:35 > 0:40:39Roland, a man who knows all the dumping hotspots.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42There's usually a spot up here on the side
0:40:42 > 0:40:44where they all have a party.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48- And you've...- The most I've got is 400 cans from one spot.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Nice.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55You find that at bridges, especially where there's a pavement on them,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57that's where a lot of the rubbish is.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00People just throw it over. We've just litter-picked here.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03But also with the bigger rubbish, the fly-tipped stuff,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06in the bridge hole here, there'll be like bin bags, trolleys,
0:41:06 > 0:41:10where people have thrown it over and it's out of sight, out of mind.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15It's got so bad that boaters have had to change the way they drive.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19I mean, a common thing for boaters to do now, sailing under bridges,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22is to just knock the gearbox into neutral, stop the prop from spinning
0:41:22 > 0:41:26and you sail under the bridge. You go up and over a push-bike.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30You can tell they're there because the boat makes a graunching noise
0:41:30 > 0:41:34as you go over the obstruction. Put it back into gear and sail on.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Want to know what a graunching noise sounds like?
0:41:38 > 0:41:41SCRAPING AND BANGING
0:41:41 > 0:41:43What is this one?
0:41:43 > 0:41:45SCRAPING
0:41:45 > 0:41:48We've just hit something.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51That there, from past experience, is builders' rubble.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55But it's a lump of concrete. You can't get a hook on it to remove it,
0:41:55 > 0:42:01so I would say that builders' waste and random concrete
0:42:01 > 0:42:06and sometimes bricks and stones is the hardest thing for us to get out and causes...
0:42:06 > 0:42:07BANGING
0:42:07 > 0:42:09As you can see, we're hitting the bottom now.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12It can damage the boats.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Even if the litter tongs can't get at builders' rubble,
0:42:15 > 0:42:17the team has still collected
0:42:17 > 0:42:20an alarming amount of rubbish from the canal.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22A builder's sackful like this one
0:42:22 > 0:42:24is the equivalent of three wheelie bins,
0:42:24 > 0:42:28and let's not forget that this is after just one week of littering.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31If you think that the guys had been out last week
0:42:31 > 0:42:34and today we've collected that much rubbish,
0:42:34 > 0:42:39you can have an idea of how much, how quickly,
0:42:39 > 0:42:40the canal gets filled with rubbish.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44It doesn't take much to just take the rubbish somewhere else.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48Well said, Raffy. Let's enjoy our canals.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52They're a fantastic resource in the countryside and the cities.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58It's a rotten job, but luckily there's a whole army of people
0:42:58 > 0:43:01working tirelessly to keep our streets clean
0:43:01 > 0:43:03and our countryside green and pleasant.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Join us next time
0:43:05 > 0:43:08when we'll be chasing down more filthy, rotten scoundrels.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:29 > 0:43:31E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk