VOLUNTEERS have been given the green light by environment bosses to begin giving their town’s river a floral makeover.

The Halstead River Improvement Group is set to begin planting on a section of the River Colne between the High Road and Townsford Mill.

The group has confirmed it has been supplied with around 270 river plants by the Environment Agency.

It means this weekend volunteers will be out on the river to give the banks a floral overhaul.

It comes after the agency improved the river in October by removing excess vegetation and improving the water flow.

A spokesman for the river improvement group said: “We are aiming to do this over the Easter weekend – Saturday April 3 and Sunday April 4 – with two shifts of approximately two hours commencing at 10.00am and 2.00pm each day.

“The work will involve getting down into the riverbed, breaking into the exposed) floor and using trowels to bed the plants in.

“To meet Covid restrictions, no more than six people will be able to work in the riverbed at any one time.

“It would be great if any other group members felt able to volunteer for some of the time.

“It would be helpful if anyone who has them could bring their own forks, trowels and gloves.”