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A wheel of a discarded bicycle, a rusty shopping trolley and a mud-stained mobile phone - these were just some of the objects dug up during a massive clean-up operation of Regent's Canal.
The Canal and River Trust drained the Kentish Town lock of 50,000 gallons of water - the equivalent of around 1,000 bathtubs - to replace its gates, which revealed the unexpected items lurking beneath the surface.
These included old trainers, a digital camera, a car tyre, shards of glass, plastic bags, bottles and tattered pieces of clothing.
The bizarre assortment of objects - which were bedded eight feet below the surface - were fished out the canal during the maintenance job this morning.
Visitors were given tours of the site, which is situated close to Camden Town.
Graham Smith, Canal and River Trust c onstruction supervisor, said: 'The lock gates haven't been replaced since the early 1990s, so this was a really rare opportunity for visitors.'
A set of canal gates typically cost £20,000 and last around 25 years.
They are now made from sustainable oak and weigh more than two tonnes each.
Last October, the capital's canal - which runs from Mile End Stadium to Limehouse Basin - was drained for maintenance as part of a £45million countrywide scheme to keep the country's waterway system in good working order.
This latest operation comes just a fortnight after more than 4.5 tonnes of trout, carp and bream were netted, washed and rehomed from Paris' Canal Saint-Martin.
They were moved to their new home in a section of the canal that was not being drained.
The last time the three-mile stretch of canal was cleaned out, in 2001, more than 40 tons of rubbish was discovered.
A dirt-ridden and flat bicycle tyre was one of the numerous items that were found at the bottom of Regent's Canal at Kentish Town Lock
This rusty, upturned shopping trolley stuck in the filthy mud at the bottom of the canal was one of the unusual items dug up this morning
A Blackberry mobile phone, which still looks in relatively good condition, as well as another phone and digital camera were also unearthed
Two old trainers, empty bottles and pieces of wood and litter were among the items found lurking beneath the water's surface
Onlookers walking along the Regent's Canal path stop to take pictures of the remarkable array of items found at the bottom of the canal
Visit ors to the lock, near Camden Town, were given the chance to tour the site - which only has its gates replaced every 25 years
A set of canal gates typically cost £20,000 and are now made from sustainable oak and weigh more than two tonnes each
The draining of the water, which was required to replace the gates at Kentish Town Lock, revealed a mobile phone and shopping trolley
Visitors take pictures of the rare sight after being given the chance to see what lurks beneath the water's surface
Mobile phones, a digital camera, a car tyre and bicycle wheel were all found on the bed of London's Regent's Canal
Visitors inspect the impressive new gates installed at Kentish Town Lock - they cost £20,000 and last around 25 years
A bicycle wheel, mobile phones and old trainers were among an ab undance of junk found hidden in the drained chamber of Regent's Canal
Source: Digital cameras, old trainers and - of course - a shopping trolley: The bizarre objects found lurking in Regent's Canal after 50,000 gallons of water were drained during ...
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