The new Ikea in Greenwich has introduced two remote-controlled boats capable of clearing 20kg of rubbish at a time.

The 'Good Ship Ikea' boats, inspired by its bath toy product, will be based at Deptford Creek and will rid the water of rubbish and debris during half-term.

Water bottles, crisp packets and footballs are the most common rubbish items found in the waterway.

Ikea has branded its new Greenwich branch, based just off Bugsby Way, the UK's first fully-sustainable store.

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Greenwich store manager Helen Aylett said: "Ikea is committed to playing a key role in the community and the Good Ship Ikea is just one of many ways we are demonstrating this."

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Chairwoman of Creekside Education Trust, Jill Goddard, added: "We have over 7,000 local schoolchildren and their families visiting us every year and we are primed to educate them on plastic usage, the harm it causes our local wildlife and how it ends up in Deptford Creek, the Thames and eventually the ocean.

"We are delighted to be teaming up with Ikea on delivering a fun but educational activity for the local community during half-term.

"So much plastic rubbish comes through the river water course and we strongly believe that if we all do a little bit, our waterways will be hugely improved for all of us."

People are being invited to 'captain' the boats during the school holiday - see creeksidecentre.org.uk/events for booking tickets.

It is estimated that 300 tonnes of rubbish are cleared from the Thames every year, with waste often entering waterways around Deptford and Greenwich.

The unmanned boats, which are three metres in length, use 'Ocra' technology developed in China to clear rubbish and debris from the water.

Rubbish collected from Deptford Creek will be 'upcycled' into a sculpture that will stand at the new Ikea Greenwich store.

Following the half-term activity, the 70kg anti-corrosive boats will be donated to sustainability charity Hubbub to help with its programme of educating people on plastic pollution in our waterways.