POOCHES were put through their paces as a riverside friends group celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE) marked the milestone with an open day at Kneller Gardens, in the Meadway, Twickenham, on Sunday (September 15).
The group was set up in 2003 to fight plans by Richmond Council to develop land near the river.
Since winning that battle, members have worked tirelessly to clean up the tributary, which runs 8.5 miles from Hayes to the Thames in Isleworth, and open up the surrounding greenery to visitors of both human and animal varieties.
During the last two years they have played a vital role in helping the river recover from a major sewage spill which killed thousands of fish in October 2011.
FORCE chairman Rob Gray said: "We are grateful for all the support of so many local people over the last ten years and look forward to the next ten years of working with local people and all our partners to make the lower Crane corridor a better place for people and wildlife."
Sunday's open day, which marked the beginning of the group's birthday celebrations, began with the Friends of Kneller Gardens' dog show. A duck race along the river, a tug of war competition and arts and crafts were among the other activities on the day.
Visitors also gathered for the official opening of a community orchard in the Meadway, created by schoolchildren, and enjoyed an exhibition of FORCE's work during the past decade and its plans for the future.
The River Crane corridor boasts more than 1,000 hectares of open space, which is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
FORCE's own surveys suggest about 400,000 people visited Crane Park, which is jointly managed by Hounslow and Richmond councils, last year - a ten-fold increase since the group's formation.
