A READER has called for people to think about the impact of litter on wildlife after spotting a heron surrounded by rubbish in the River Foss.

Lynne Kinder shared a photo of the bird on social media and asked the council if more could be done to clean up the river.

She said: “I find it frustrating that, despite increasing awareness of the damage plastic and other litter is having on our wildlife, particularly in our seas and rivers, people are still thoughtlessly dropping their rubbish.

She said: “I have to say that the council are not to blame for careless people, but they have to take some responsibility for it because of the removal of so many of the litter bins in our city, one of which was on Foss Islands Road.”

She said she was “delighted” to see the council clean up the area. A spokesman for the council said a team cleans the river monthly in the summer.

Claire Foale, head of communications at City of York Council, said: “We would encourage everyone to get rid of rubbish responsibly so our river residents can enjoy living safely in a clean, litter-free environment.

“We know there has been an accumulation of litter in the River Foss. During dry periods this looks worse as the low river reveals litter along the river banks.

“We are working with partners to clean the river as soon as possible. Our own council team clean once a month from April through to the end of October, river levels permitting. We also work closely with The River Foss Society who voluntarily clean the river approximately four times a year.”

She added that people can report litter by emailing ycc@york.gov.uk.