HUNDREDS of weevils are being released into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal on Wednesday in an attempt to rid the waterway of weeds.

British Waterways hope the weevils will eat their way through the azolla fern which has built up along the canal.

The azolla makes the water smell, blocks the canal and can reduce oxygen levels, causing harm to fish.

If the trial at Aintree is a success, weevils could be used in other waterways in the UK.