Alien invaders are being wiped away by a determined band of volunteers.

The offensive against unwanted Himalayan Balsam on a riverbank has been staged as part of a mission to give something back to the community.

A hard-working band turned out to remove the invasive species from land at Cummersdale Holme, near Denton Holme, Carlisle, as part of the Give A Day To The City programme.

Having started on Saturday, more than 18 projects are taking part across Carlisle in the annual scheme, facilitated by Carlisle Vineyard Church and supported by Cumbria Community Foundation to encourage people and businesses to give up time to make the area a better place to live.

Work to clear Himalayan Balsam is an on-going effort.

And the group from Eden Rivers Trust, Carlisle City Council and other volunteers put their all into the task.

"It needs to be cleared away every year," Paul Greaves, river action group co-ordinator at Eden Rivers Trust said. "When this area floods, the water flows through here and helps to carry the seeds on. It's important that we keep on top of the problem."

"Himalayan Balsam is invasive and can take over, which in turn can lead to a fall in the diversity of insects."

This year's Give A Day To The City week started with teams litter picking and removing graffiti in Denton Holme. There are also plans to serve tea to the community in Botcherby and clear a disused piece of land and create allotment plots at Boustead's Grassing.

Sam Winder, a volunteer with Carlisle City Council, said it is not the first time he has helped to clear the unwanted Himalayan Balsam plants.

"We've probably got to clear a path of two or three hundred metres," he said.

"Usually through the week we're part of the conservation team, doing work elsewhere so this is just part of the conservation calendar and it's something that we usually do around this time of the year.

"We haven't been to this site for a few years, though, so there's a lot that needs doing."

John Gorrill was another of those helping to clear the area. "The important thing is to snap the root off so that dies off," he said.

"Then you've got to snap it in half so that there's no chance the plant can grow back from there."

Further information about the Give A Day To The City initiative can be found by visiting www.giveadaytothecity.org