Teesside volunteer finds 40-year-old chocolate wrapper in river

A discarded chocolate wrapper believed to be more than 40 years old has been found in a river.

The Twix wrapper, with a printed expiry date of August 1984 and a “special price” of 13p, was discovered by volunteer litter pickers in the River Leven at Ingleby Barwick on Teesside.

CEO of the Tees Rivers Trust Ben Lamb said discoveries like this were “certainly not unusual” but it was “amazing what gets chucked in the water and forgotten about”.

A Mars Wrigley UK spokesperson said it had implemented “clear disposal messages” on its products to support litter prevention.

The wrapper was spotted by Stephen Bell from the North Ormesby Institute angling club, which regularly litter picks on the bank.

Mr Lamb said the find was “pretty depressing”.

“It makes your eyes roll a bit,” he said.

The miners’ strike, one of the most damaging industrial disputes ever seen in Britain, started in 1984.

Students were also still taking O-level examinations, which were to be replaced by GCSE exams in 1988.

“Littering is a problem that’s not going anywhere,” Mr Lamb said.

The Tees Rivers Trust is a charitable organisation working to improve the Tees catchment.

Mr Lamb described recently finding an old-style fizzy drink can right by a newer can.

In the past, volunteers had even found a football programme dated to 1964 which was still legible.

“You name it, we’ve found it,” Mr Lamb said.

Mars Wrigley UK, which manufactures Twix chocolate bars, said it had developed more “sustainable packaging solutions”.

“While it’s important for everyone to play their part in reducing litter, we also recognise the responsibility businesses and manufacturers have in tackling the root of the problem,” the spokesperson added.