I noticed with extreme interest the article recently published in the County Borough Bulletin, ( summer 2003 edition ) regarding the new County clean up campaign. Bridgend council are to be congratulated for highlighting a persistent blight on our community, as stated in the Bulletin “the campaign intends to tackle everything that affects your quality of life”

With this in mind maybe there's hope for the worst litter hotspot by far in the county – the river Ogmore.

I own and run a small guest house in the town centre, Bridgend cannot claim much in the way of tourist attractions, so when two visiting anglers booked in last week, I was delighted to recommend the Ogmore. Having only fished the river for one day, on their return all the comments were not how great the fishing was but how appalled they were by the filth and debris that was present. Gas bottles, a house hold refrigerator dumped in the river at Merthyr Mawr dipping bridge, litter and debris hanging from the trees in Newbridge fields.

Many of the true beauty spots in the whole county are to be found along the river Ogmore, so why are these areas neglected? Despite this highly visible problem spoiling a natural asset and amenity, no single organization in Wales takes responsible for the removal of litter from our rivers. Thus leaving the task, strictly to volunteer groups!!

Many Ogmore anglers clear debris while out fishing, some attend the clubs river clean up meeting, but this on going battle cannot be won by one small band of volunteers. Council operation is needed to be effective, which must include cleaning the ogmore on a regular basis. Thus benefiting anglers, the many visitors to Bridgend and the whole community.

The Ogmore is the reason Bridgend town exists, let’s treat the river with the consideration it deserves and extend a helping hand to the volunteer groups truly leading the campaign

Bridgend Council has setup a hotline (01656 643443) to report litter hotspots in the county, so why not report the fly tying in our local river now!!!!!!!