A PIONEERING scheme which has dramatically improved the condition of the River Cray is under threat.

Riverkeeper Ashe Hurst may lose his job with the transport which enables clean-ups to take place.

Mr Hurst has organised several clean-ups of the river with the help of a small army of volunteers.

Thames21, the river charity which employs Mr Hurst and provides back-up for the clean-ups, is facing a cash crisis This comes after it failed to find the £100,000 a year funding it needs for the project.

The money provided Mr Hurst's £20,000-a-year salary plus the costs of several part-time employees and a 4X4 vehicle for the regular river clean-ups.

Now Mr Hurst is hoping to reform his volunteer group into a conservation trust.

This would continue the work and raise its own funds for major restoration projects and the reintroduction of native species to the river.

Despite bidding for it, Thames21 failed to get funding from the Big Lottery fund via Bexley Council for a three-year riverkeepers' programme for the Cray.

Mr Hurst said: "Thames21 is trying to find the cash to keep it going until the end of March and maybe even fund my job until the end of June, but there is no guarantee."

He went on: "There is a lot of work we have been gearing towards, which is just not going to happen if there is no money."

Mr Hurst, who lives in Crayford, said: "It is not just a job to me, it is a way of life.

"I have been on the river since I was 10 and have worked on it for the past five years."

For his new trust, Mr Hurst is looking for people who have a knowledge of the environment and rivers in particular, as well as biodiversity and aquatics.

He also needs people who are used to working in committees and have fundraising experience.

He said: "We need people who can work with all different ages, but above all are passionate about maintaining the River Cray."

If you can help, call Mr Hurst on 07968 805751.