NEW YEAR HONOUR FOR RIVERS EXPERT

Mr Firth received the MBE for his work over the last ten years in restoring the River Don, once one of the most polluted rivers in Europe.But the 55-year-old's involvement with the waterway stretches back to his childhood growing up in a riverside home in Wheatley.Said Mr Firth of Hennings Close, Bessacarr: "I remember as a child beingwarned not to go near the river because if I fell in I'd have to have my stomach pumped out. It was no exaggeration!"A lifelong angler, he gave up an engineering career at Case to move to Cumbria to work on the salmon rivers, moving into the waterways industry in 1974.Nine years ago the Don was at last able to support fish life and a 9lb salmon was caught near St Mary's Bridge just a month ago."The most satisfaction I've had I think is being involved in seeing the river recover from almost 100 years of abuse."The next stage of the restoration of the river involves outting a new rock shoot in at Crimpsall Sluice near St Mary's Bridge which will allow fish to swim freely between the tidal and non-tidal stretches of the river for the first time in 500 years.Mr Firth said of his work as a team leader in the fisheries section of the Environment Agency: "I enjoy nothing more than going down to the River Don to fish. I've been one of those fortunate individuals who enjoys a working environment that is a also a pleasure environment."CAPTION: Gone fishin': Angler Christopher Firth was honoured for his work cleaning upthe River Don. (D599LM).