TANGLED piles of debris are set to be cleared from beneath the arches of the historic Worcester Bridge.

Workers from the Canal and River Trust (CRT) used a tracked excavator to remove some detritus on Tuesday – but were forced to stop as river levels were too high.

The vegetation, branches and litter have collected around the arches following recent flooding on the river Severn.

The CRT say it could pose a risk to river users, possibly damage the bridge or even cause further flooding.

Nick Worthington, waterway manager at the CRT, said: "Unfortunately this is a fairly normal occurrence and Worcester's historic bridge has always snagged debris washed down the river Severn.

"The river levels are still too high for us to get in safely and remove it but as soon as they recede we'll start our clear-up operation."

The CRT is working with the Environment Agency, Worcester City Council and Worcestershire County Council to remove the waste.

It will be removed as soon as the water subsides.