From being biologically dead less than 50 years ago, the Thames is now home to at least 125 different fish species… and the good work to improve its habitats is still ongoing. 

For the New Year’s Day edition of Open Country, the BBC highlights the regeneration of London’s arterial river, and how last October the Environment Agency won the Thiess International Riverprize on behalf of everyone involved.

Along the way, presenter Helen Marks talks to writer Iain Sinclair, archaeologist Fiona Haughey, and our good friends Vic Richardson and Simon Hoggett from Thames 21.

The programme will be repeated on Radio 4 at 3.00pm this Thursday 6 January , and you can listen again at any time via the BBC’s iPlayer service (where the Wandle’s own appearance on Open Country is also still available!)