AN Ilkley group will host a national conference aimed at cleaning up rivers, lakes and seas.

The Ilkley Clean River Group, in collaboration with Ilkley Car Free Festival, will host a national conference on what it takes to clean up rivers, lakes and seas.

Scientists, industry experts and regulators, policy makers and campaigners will join the group for the conference.

The event, which will take place on Sunday, September 22, at Christchurch on The Grove, Ilkley, moves beyond analysing the problem to working out a solution.

Speakers include:

• The national experts on water quality, Professor Jamie Woodward (microplastics), Alistair Boxall (chemicals) Rick Battarebee (nutrients), Andrew Singer (pollution scientist).

• Leading campaigners, Matt Staniek from Save Windermere, Nick Measham CEO of Wild Fish will explain what is legal pollution, James Wallace CEO of River Action, Kirsty Davies of Surfers Against Sewage, Jo Bradley from Stormwater Shepherds.

• Regulators Helen Wakeham, Director of Water for the Environment Agency, and the panel will be joined by Chris Walters, Senior Director of the Current Price Review (proposing bill rises) at Ofwat.

• The Ilkley Clean River group will share its campaign news.

• Yorkshire Water will share their proposed solutions and costs to secure clean water in the town's river.

This event runs from 12.30pm to 4.30pm in Christchurch.