These Venetian gondoliers swapped their traditional striped T-shirts for scuba gear on Sunday, to retrieve rubbish from the bottom of the city's canals. The scuba divers worked near the iconic Rialto Bridge for six hours through the night. City councillor for the protection of tradition, Giovanni Giusto, said it was easier to conduct the clean-up overnight when there is less traffic in the canal.

It is the sixth time the city of Venice, in conjunction with the Gondoliers Association, has organised the operation. Around 2.5 tonnes of rubbish has been cleared from the city's waterways since the project first began. Items dredged up on the latest excursion included a stove, a computer and an audio cassette player.