STORM Erik has failed to deter Rhyl volunteers from lifting "underwater hazards" of waste from the Marine Lake.

As high winds lashed the North Wales coast on Saturday, about 50 volunteers from the town's Surfers Against Sewage group braved the weather for an annual clean up on behalf of Marine Lake Users’ Forum.

The Marine Lake is currently drained for its annual refurbishment, allowing the group to collect more than 20 bags of mixed rubbish with a total weight of about 200kg.

Surfers Against Sewage group, volunteer organiser Keith Jones said:“It’s unbelievable the stuff that people have just thrown in to the lake over the last 12 months. Shopping trolleys, unwanted bikes, sandbags and traffic cones and there was actually a mobility scooter found earlier in the week.

"Quite apart from the litter issue and the plastic pollution, these underwater hazards, invisible to the eye on the surface, could potentially cause a lot of damage to people and their craft when they are using the lake.”

Joining the volunteers was a contingent from from the Rhyl Sea Cadets, as well as the recently crowned Rhyl royalty with May Queen Summer Heywood and her royal entourage, while shelter was given by the Miniature Railway.

Mr Jones added: “Considering the weather forecast, and also how windy it was on Saturday morning, to see so many people from not just Rhyl but also the surrounding area, just shows how community-minded our town is and how enthusiastic our residents are.

"It was particularly pleasing to see so many youngsters turning out to help; it gives you optimism that the future is safe in their hands.”