LITTER on canal banks in Stockton Heath won't be a sight for sore eyes for much longer after ship canal bosses were forced to clean up their act.

A sponsored litter picker and more bins were a few suggestions put forward by disgruntled parish councillors when they tackled chiefs from the Manchester Ship Canal Company on the issue.

But Stockton Heath Parish Council is not taking the river bank debris lying down.

During the meeting with the canal officials, held last Tuesday, councillors demanded action over the long running rubbish problem.

Chairman Clr Celia Jordan (LD) told canal bosses: "It is really awful to walk down. I meant to look up your annual profit last year.

"So you can't tell me you can't afford someone to collect litter along 36 miles of our area."

Councillors complained that rubbish had been fly tipped on the river banks near Fairfield Road and looked unsightly.

On a recent litter pick by councillors and residents, 36 bags of rubbish were collected.

Among the litter were beer cans and food wrapping.

It prompted the parish council to demand that the ship canal company takes full responsibility for its land.

Brian Grundy, chief engineer of the company, said: "I'll send some of the lads out to tidy it all up and see how it goes."

He admitted the company's rubbish collection had lapsed two years ago when workers were made redundant.

He added: "I'm not hiding. If there is a problem then it needs to be sorted."

l The Manchester Ship Canal Company is looking into sponsoring an individual to gather rubbish. However the purse strings lie with parent company Peel Holdings.

l Warrington Borough Council is being asked to install more rubbish bins along the river bank.

l The Probation Service will be approached to see if people serving community service can collect rubbish on the river banks as part of their stint.