HEAVY debris which remains at the bottom of the River Aire after the devastating Boxing Day floods will finally start to be removed on Tuesday.

Around a dozen washing machines were among the items which were washed into the river near Baildon Bridge during the floods.

And while many parts of the river have since been cleared, this section has proved harder to access because of its steep banks.

Now Bradford Council, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and the Aire Rivers Trust are teaming up to run a series of clean-up days, helping local businesses and landowners fulfil their responsibilities to keep the river and its banks clear.

A series of eight sessions over the coming months will see a specialist technical contractor brought in to winch out the heavier items.

The River Stewardship Company will also run a further clean-up session for volunteers from local businesses.

Barney Lerner, of the Aire Rivers Trust, said a household goods business had been one of those flooded near Baildon Bridge, with “at least a dozen washing machines” washed into the river.

He said: “They are still there, although they have broken up.”

He said that while volunteers had done a great job of clearing the banks, they could not lift heavy items from the riverbed.

He said: “There was an enormous effort by local volunteers to clean-up the banks of the Aire in 2016 - the Aire Debris Removal Initiative - but they couldn’t tackle any of the heavy litter in the river itself. So it’s great that we are now all going to work together this year to get those old washing machines and other junk out.”

Jenny Barlow, flood and coastal risk management officer at the Environment Agency, said: “Since the devastation of the 2015 floods there has been a large-scale clean-up effort along urban watercourses across Yorkshire by multiple organisations and teams of volunteers, to help remove large amounts of debris and litter which was left behind by the flood waters.

“We have had a fantastic response from local people and organisations who want to help improve this stretch of the River Aire, which shows the great enthusiasm people have to make the environment better for people and wildlife.”