WI members donned flippers and fins outside Parliament to call for action against polluting rivers.

A group of women from the Margate branch displayed banners, dressed as swimmers and mermaids, and brought with them some of the things regularly found discarded in the country’s waters.

The meeting on Tuesday was part of the WI’s national Clean Rovers campaign.

This year the National Federation of Women’s Institutes passed a resolution to urge members, the public, local authorities, and the government to work together to protect rivers for people and wildlife.

Scarlet Drayson from the Margate group said: “While we are a seaside WI, we recognise the importance of keeping rivers clean as nobody wants to swim in litter, sewage and other pollutants, so our mermaids were happy to give their support to the WI Clean Rivers campaign this week.

“We regularly have litter-picking sessions around the town and we see rubbish that is not biodegradable and is causing risks to wildlife and to our communities.

“Keeping our rivers clean is as important as our green spaces and our beaches.

“It is vital that people are made aware of the ecological state of the UK’s rivers and the need to take urgent action to protect them.”

Items, including disposable barbecues, fast food wrappers, children’s plastic toys, flip flops, face masks, cosmetic wipes, as well as sanitary products, condoms, nappies and dog mess bags, were all hung out on a washing line to highlight the litter problem regularly blighting outdoor bathing areas.

The Clean Rivers campaign calls for more bathing waters where water quality is regularly monitored for its effect on human health.

The event had been arranged as part of the Week of River Action which runs from September 11 to 18.