Campaigners say a car abandoned in the River Lagan only minutes from Lisburn's council chamber has been left for years, and are urging swift removal and a clean-up plan.

The Green Party, working with local group Lagan Valley Greens, has launched a petition pressing for the vehicle's removal. They say the case is a test of whether local agencies and Lisburn & Castlereagh Council will take responsibility for a long-standing pollution problem in plain sight. Cllr Anthony Flynn said the response so far has been unacceptable. "This car has been left in the river for years, right in the heart of the community, and the public deserves better than excuses and buck-passing," he said.

"If something like this can be ignored for so long, what message does that send about other fly-tipping sites?"

Richard Gill of Lagan Valley Greens said the situation shows how neglect becomes normalised.

"It's appalling to see the Lagan treated like this. If the Council and Stormont can't deal with an obvious long-term pollution problem, how can people trust them to protect the river from bigger environmental threats?"

The groups are calling for the car's immediate removal, clarity on which authority is responsible, and a coordinated programme to clean up the Lagan.