Volunteers in a north Shropshire town have been able to clean litter from a prominent lake as its water levels dropped due to the recent hot weather. With this summer being the hottest and one of the driest on record, lakes and rivers across the country have been running low. Ellesmere park ranger, Lee Fraser, has been able to go into the Mere with volunteers and pick out litter, such as bricks, pottery and mobile phones.

Fraser said the team have already collected 'five big bucket loads' of litter which he said 'covered half the distance' of the town's promenade. He explained that this year they decided to collect litter by standing in the water, as it was easier to see what was in the water. 'We tried it last year from a boat, which when you stand on the bank, you can see all the bricks. Once in the water, on the boat, even if you are next to them and someone's shouting that it's right next to you, you cannot find it.' He added that there are quite a lot of bricks out on the side now already and they have only been at it less than an hour.

Fraser also mentioned that he thought it would take some time for the level of The Mere to recover. 'It will be quite a while [for it to recover] even with the heavy rains we have had,' he said. 'It is slightly deeper than it was the other week but not significantly, and over the surface of the Mere it takes quite a lot for it to get [back to normal].'

The Mere is also cared for by volunteers like local resident, Wendy Salter. She has been part of the team for three years and said she has enjoyed volunteering to help her community. 'A lot of this rubbish comes from such a big area. [What we find] varies a lot. I also found a mobile phone last week,' Salter added.

The situation highlights the impact of extreme weather on local ecosystems and the role of community efforts in environmental conservation. While the current conditions have made litter collection more accessible, the long-term recovery of the lake remains uncertain. The combination of drought and subsequent heavy rainfall has created a unique scenario where volunteers can make a tangible difference, but the full restoration of the lake's natural state may require sustained effort and time.