Introducing Hugo the underwater hoover keeping a Guernsey harbour spotless

An underwater hoover designed to clean up a Guernsey harbour has been launched.Hugo the 'harbour hoover' is a device known as a portbin and has been introduced to remove rubbish and debris from Victoria Marina in St Peter Port. It is emptied everyday and every cycle can remove up to five litres of rubbish from the water. The hoover was bought by the Rotary Guernesiais for £8,000 as part of a project with Guernsey Ports. It is hoped that Hugo can continue keeping Victoria Marina spotless for the next ten years.

Helen Salisbury, president of the Rotary Guernesiais, told ITV News: "It's collecting things as little as a postage stamp. Crisp wrappers, plastic bottles - all of the things that unfortunately end up in the water."In an ideal world we wouldn't have single-use plastics and we wouldn't need devices like this but it's good we can contribute to purchase things like this to really make a difference."Mike Harris, Guernsey's Assistant Harbour Master, added that the hoover could revolutionise the way the marina is cleaned. Mr Harris said: "It's on all the time. So unlike our staff who go out once or twice a day who go out and do what's called the 'gashing' and, like I say, the more we get, the better."Mr Harris told ITV News he also hopes the hoover can continue working in the winter months, even as colder and potentially more extreme weather takes hold.

The Rotary Guernesiais held a competition to name the hoover.Hugo was chosen after eight-year-old Olivia suggested naming the machine after famous novelist, poet and dramatist Victor Hugo.Corey Boyd, Olivia's dad, said his daughter loved the fact that the hoover was named Hugo.He said: "She started jumping around and even came to see me at work [when she found out]!"

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