A HISTORY enthusiast has found an old drawing of a type of boat which was used to clean mud from Bridgwater’s River Parrett.

Roger Brown, who mainly collects carnival memorabilia, was given the detailed plans for what he thinks is a type of steel-built steam scourer by a friend.

He told the Mercury: “I have a history book which explains how they would use powerful jets of water and scrapers to remove the mud which had built up on the banks of the River and allow the water current to take it away.

“I thought, with all this talk of dredging the river, it might be of particular interest now.

“These machines were used to solve a problem which we are now seeking a solution for today.

“I think the design dates back to around the 1930s but I think they stopped using them before the war.”