We have all seen images of waterways choked with rubbish in Third World countries, but these photos come from a tributary of the River Len, just upstream from Maidstone town centre.

The plastic-choked waterway is located within a designated Local Nature Reserve and Local Wildlife Site, which is cleared of litter by volunteers at least once a week.

Cllr Tony Harwood, who discovered the contamination near Mote Avenue, said: "What you cannot see in this image is the nauseating stench of raw sewage, further contaminated with micro plastics and rag, that went with it - and the total absence of any aquatic or marginal vegetation, except sewage fungus."

Cllr Harwood said: "It seems that neither the Environment Agency nor Maidstone Borough Council appears to be in any way concerned or willing to take action over the deplorable state of the borough's once wildlife-rich waterways.

"Indeed, remarkably Maidstone's Local Plan Review makes no reference to tackling the poor quality of watercourses in the borough whatsoever, including the ailing Rivers Beult, Sherway and Len.

"The River Beult is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the whole of its length through Maidstone Borough, while the River Len and its tributaries still support relict populations of Desmoulin's Whorl Snail, Water Vole and White-clawed Crayfish.

"The River Sherway once enjoyed healthy flows, was burnished by rare pondweeds and whirred with Kingfishers. No more."

Cllr Harwood has written to Maidstone Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Natural England urging them to grasp the opportunity offered by the Local Plan Review to develop a comprehensive rescue package for the borough's watercourses - underpinned by "tough planning policies and appropriate enforcement."

He said: "Maidstone Borough Council and the Environment Agency have a particular responsibility to influence the behaviour of those who treat our watercourses as sewers, rubbish dumps and drains.

"It's not just the pollution and harm to wildlife, when these streams clog up, it adds to flood risk."

Do you know of any watercourse more polluted than this one? Please send your pictures to ajsmith@thekmgroup.co.uk

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