CONTRACTORS working on the nearby Collective Old Oak development joined forces with the Canal and River Trust for a clear-up of the Grand Union Paddington arm yesterday (Thursday).

The Collective, a short walk from Willesden Junction, is a new building aimed at providing rented homes for young adults.

It includes shared working space for businesses, shops and community space on the ground open to the public and residents alike.

The public space leading to the canal was derelict and untidy – and the team set out to change this.

James Scott, of The Collective, said: "Volunteer-led initiatives like today's clear-up are fantastic as they give us a chance to work closely with the community and allow us to make a tangible contribution to the surrounding environment.”

Debbie Vidler, of the Canal and River Trust, said: “We’re really grateful to the team, who braved the cold to help clean up the canal.

“The Grand Union is an important and much-loved waterway, but it does take some looking after. That is why people volunteering their time like this means so much.

“They help us to keep the canal in the condition it deserves, and just a few hours’ effort improves stretches like this no end.”