A SALISBURY man has launched a marine education and conservation project in Asia, starting with a roadtrip cleaning communities from plastic.

Harrie Kerley, who previously lived in the Amesbury area, created Scuba to raise awareness of plastic pollution in Vietnam, educate locals about the underwater world, and run a sustainable tourism business.

The #picuptrip began on December 9, and Harrie and volunteers have conducted plastic clean ups in various spots including Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Luong, Hoi An, Da Nang and Ninh Binh, with around 250 volunteers recruited along the way.

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Launching Scuba in November 2018, Harrie said the debut project has been going "really well", adding: "We have received lots of support from local individuals, businesses, students, environmental groups and local government. We have even been featured on Vietnamese TV and been interviewed by the local press.

"To date we have completed 11 cleans filling 532 bags of plastic pollution, which amounts to removing over 3,300kg of waste from cities, national parks, reefs, beaches and mountain view spots.

"Asia is a big player in term of their plastic pollution output and they have some of the most incredible underwater environments in the world."

The 32-year-old left the UK in 2012 to pursue an abroad conservation career, and once #picuptrip is complete in February, he will continue building the Vietnam organisation by working closely with local schools and businesses.

Future goals for Scuba include encoruaging plastic-free intiatives and teaching Vietnamese people how to swim.

Reflecting on the project so far, Harrie said one of the most rewarding moments for him was helping clean a beach in Vinh Luong that wasn't part of the original itinerary.

He said: "Over the course of the three days we rallied the whole town together and had from the oldest people in town to the youngest helping us clean.

"It was an emotional rollercoaster but when all was said and done we removed 301 rice bags and united a community for one cause - we couldn't have been more proud, or more tired."

Scuba is currently a non-profit project funded by Harrie, but anyone can donate to the cause through the Scuba JustGiving page.