THE Mersey Basin – once dubbed Europe’s most polluted stretch of water – continues to clean up its act after being named among the UK’s top 10 most improved rivers.

The home of raw sewage and virtually bereft of wildlife, the River Mersey was infamously described in 1982 by Michael Heseltine, appointed minister for Merseyside by Margaret Thatcher, as “an affront to a civilised society”.

But last night, in recognition of how it has been transformed, the Environment Agency named it among its list of 10 most improved rivers in England and Wales.

In receiving the award the RiverMersey finds itself among “the waterways that have shrugged off their industrial past to become havens for wildlife, walkers and anglers once again.”

And the Environment Agency said the transformation of the Mersey Basin and other waterways including the River Dee has been achieved thanks to “thousands of habitat improvement projects, tighter regulation of polluting industries and work with farmers, businesses and water companies to reduce pollution and improve water quality.

“River habitats have also benefited from reductions in the volume of water taken by water companies, farmers and industry.”