Invasive plant removed from town's waterway

An invasive plant that can kill other plants and affect water birds is being cleared from an East Yorkshire town's river.

The water soldier has spread through Beverley Beck since 2020 and has "disrupted the local ecology and threatened biodiversity in the area," according to East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

It has spikes resembling the top of a pineapple and remains underwater in winter, floating to the surface in summer.

Although native to the east of England, it is not widely found in the north. The Wildlife Trusts website said if it gets into local waterways it can "become highly invasive, swamping out local vegetation".

A council spokesperson said a contractor was using a special weed boat equipped with a forked basket to scoop the plants out of the water before they are disposed of through composting.

The work is being partly funded by a grant from the Environment Agency, which is using money raised by selling fishing licences.

Daniel Jagucki, from the agency, said: "Hopefully, the many anglers that fish the Beck, and other users, will benefit from the clearance work."

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