Weird and wonderful junk found in a Swindon stream - including sex toy

Gavin Cox of Nythe has been delving into the depths of Wiltshire’s waterways regularly since 2020 when he decided change was needed.

“I first started litter picking in lockdown after seeing so much rubbish in Nythe Lake and Dorcan Stream,” he said.

“I took upon myself to make a change and back then I was doing it twice a week but now I do it once.

Gavin regularly cleans out Swindon's waterways. (Image: Gavin Cox)

“That’s the only activity I could do in lockdown and I just carried it on.”

The 52-year-old puts on his waders and jumps into the water every four weeks to clear the litter out of Swindon’s streams.

“I’m not surprised anymore as there’s so many things discarded such as a motorcycle engine in Nythe Lake,” revealed Gavin.

“They just want to get rid of it and the water is used as the target.”

While clearing out the Swindon waterways, Gavin has unearthed the weird and the wonderful from the depths.

A variety of electrical items are found at the bottom of the water. (Image: Gavin Cox)

“A big vibrator was thrown in there and it was a big pink one but nothing puts me off,” he revealed.

“I also found a PlayStation in there and it was an older one and about eight mobile phones in there too.

“The technology has been quite dated with a lot of Nokias in the water but I did find one Samsung that I returned to the owner as it was still working.”

Yet the sex toys and mobile phones do not cause the most problems however with larger items instead having the most implications.

Even sex toys have been found discarded in Swindon's waterways. (Image: Gavin Cox)

“The most annoying thing are the shopping trolleys and bike as the larger they are there is more of a chance of blocking the stream,” lamented Gavin.

“Kids tend to throw logs in and cause blockages so much so that I usually get six or seven bin liners full of rubbish when I go into the stream.”

Gavin works as a butcher at Roves Farm but the 52-year-old gets the most pride and satisfaction from his efforts towards Swindon’s community.

Gavin first started doing the litter picking during the pandemic when bored in lockdowns. (Image: Gavin Cox)

“I am proud of what I have achieved in the area and I even bought litter pickers for the community but it doesn’t improve,” he said.

“I don’t know what else we can do to be honest and I believe the problem will never get solved.”

Mike Davies, who is standing as borough councillor for Liden, Eldene and Park South, is also no stranger to wading in Dorcan stream.

Earlier this month that Mike jumped into the waterway to wrestle a shopping trolley from being lodged.

“I have lived in Eldene for 20 years and have always been aware of Dorcan stream as part of the school run or my running or commuting route,” he said.

Gavin collects lots of bags full of litter during each venture into the water. (Image: Gavin Cox)

“Rubbish in and along Dorcan stream has always been a problem, but there is a group of voluntary litter pickers who do a great job of clearing it out, which hides what would be a much bigger problem without them, and people are usually not aware of this great work.  

“There are regular bins all along the stream from Shaftesbury Lake into Nythe, and these have increased in number over the years, so there is definitely no need for smaller items to find their way into the hedges and stream. 

“Obviously bigger items like trolleys and pallets, which are regularly found in the stream, are completely unnecessary.”

Swindon Borough Council candidates for Liden, Eldene and Park South: Mike Davies (Labour Party), Bazil Stanley Solomon (Conservative Party Candidate), Caroline Thomas (Liberal Democrat).