The eco-friendly founder of a global movement is urging people across Maldon to get involved.

Plastic Patrol is came to the district this month and litter-pickers were kitted out with paddleboards and buckets instead of binbags and high-vis jackets.

Record-breaking paddleboarder and founder of the movement Lizzie Carr started the paddleboarding litter picks to combine free healthy activities and environmental volunteering.

The clean-up took place in Heybridge Basin and volunteers patrolled the river on paddleboards while blitzing litter.

Lizzie took up paddleboarding as rehabilitation after being treated for cancer in 2014 and says she immediately felt the physical and mental benefits.

But her time on the water also exposed her to the devastating impact of plastic pollution in nature.

She has since dedicated herself to exploring the globe on paddleboarding adventures, using her journeys to highlight environmental issues affecting the planet.

Lizzie said: “Paddleboarding changed my life. It helped me to see the sheer volume of plastic waste clogging our waterways, but also gave me a way to reconnect with nature.

“Before my illness I was an environmental sleepwalker and being out on the water opened my eyes to the problem. My hope is that by running these clean-ups, others will experience the same positive benefits as I did.

“By inviting people to join me on activity-led litter picks across the UK this summer, we’re providing a great opportunity to give back to nature, try new activities and understand the extent of the problem we face with plastic pollution.”

In May 2016, Lizzie became the first person to paddleboard the length of England’s canals, solo and unsupported.

She completed the 400-mile journey in 22 days, taking more than 3,000 photos of plastic waste.

Later, she returned to hotspot areas armed with paddleboards and litter pickers, inviting communities to join her mission.

To find out more visit plasticpatrol.co.uk.