Disabled anglers have got their hooks into the authorities over a weed and rubbish clogged stretch of the town's River Can through Central Park. But there is disagreement between the government's Environment Agency, and Chelmsford Borough Council over who should clear the weed.

Other junk in the town centre waters is cleared fortnightly by Chelmsford Sea Cadets if weed does not block their boat.

Disabled anglers Roger Hain and Trevor Willsher, who both live in Forest Drive, say they have not been able to get a float in the water all season - or seen a fish in the dense mass.

The borough council says that clearing river weed is the job of the Northampton-based Environment Agency for the Anglia region. But an agency spokesman said they clear weed only in areas where there is a flood threat.

The council said it believed the Can was part of the flood plain and therefore the weed cleaning was still down to the agency.

Council Leisure Services Executive Sue Ireland said: "The Sea Cadets do a wonderful job for a small grant from us every fortnight cleaning the rubbish but only where weed does not cause difficulties for their boat."

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