The Hockanum River cleanup moved into the water Saturday and collected a load of tires, shopping carts, old drums, rusted bikes and assorted junk.

The committee, which every month clears trails along the river bank, borrowed boats, and with help from the Manchester Jaycees cleared a portion of the river itself. Dr. Douglas Smith, committee chairman, said the committee plans to make the in-river clenup an annual September event.

The Saturday project started on the Eighth Utilities District property along the river off Hilliard Street. With two aluminum boats borrowed from the Vernon Health Department, the cleanup crews went about a mile downstream to Hilliard Street near Adams. The boats have also been used to clean up Vernon sections of the Hockanum.

The Eights District Fire Department stored the boats. The district public works department transported the boats and trucked the trash from the river to the town landfill.

One reward for the trip, according to Smith, was seeing the nearly complete new bridge over the river at Adams Street. He said the ewather was perfect, the water low in the river and warm enough for wading.