A MUSSELBURGH man has set up a new group in a bid to clear local waterways of metal objects.

James Pearson, 45, of Kilwinning Terrace, has formed Magnet Fishing Musselburgh and hopes to remove anything he sees that will cause harm to local wildlife on the River Esk, such as shopping trolleys, bikes, scooters and other metal debris.

“I’ve also retrieved a lady’s purse which was handed into the police,” he said.

Mr Pearson, a former pupil of Musselburgh Burgh Primary School and Musselburgh Grammar School, has been magnet fishing for about three years after watching the YouTube channel ‘WW2 Wendal’.

“I thought I would give it a try. I mainly fished by myself on the canals in Edinburgh,” he explained.

He then made contact with Magnet Fishing Edinburgh and, along with friends, created official Magnet Fishing Scotland, which, he said, was the only group worldwide to be legally allowed to magnet fish the Scottish canal system.

Mr Pearson, a hire desk controller for a plant hire company, said: “Magnet fishing has given me so many great friends and surprising finds, I thought I would create a group for my home town.

“I see this as giving something back to our brilliant community and if it gets a few people out and into the fresh air then that’s a bonus.”

He explained: “Magnet fishing is tying a high-powered magnet onto a rope and throwing it into a body of water to remove any metallic items.

“It’s relatively inexpensive; magnets range from £20 to £320. Anyone can join in. You only need to get a magnet. You fish from the bank – I never advise going into the water. You don’t know the undercurrent of the water.

“I fish as much as I can but usually the weekends. I travel all over Britain magnet fishing.

“My most unusual find was a hand gun I retrieved from the canal system in Glasgow.”

He added: “Most of my finds are sent to the scrap-yard.”

Access the Magnet Fishing Musselburgh Facebook at facebook.com/groups/252712490103253