The annual cleaning of Hitchin's River Hiz is set to take place later this month.

The stretch that will be targeted for cleansing is near to St Marys Church and Peppermint Court in Whinbush Road.

The work, by North Herts District Council, will commence on Friday, January 22, when water from the tanks will be drained and contractors will remove silt and sludge, which can obstruct the flow.

General rubbish will also be removed from these sections of the river. Once complete the river will be returned to its normal level. Work is expected to finish on Friday, January 29 when the water will begin to refill.

Councillor Steve Jarvis, NHDC's Executive Member for Environment said: "This annual work is important in maintaining the river in the centre of Hitchin, helping it to flow freely and keeping it visually appealing for those who visit.

"The work will take place during the day and will cause minimal disruption to the surrounding areas."

These sections of the river operate via a 'balancing tank' system which, with the use of sluice gates that help retain river water in those sections, helping to create a visually appealing, deeper river in the centre of town.