THIS "Yellow Submarine" won't be sailing off to any psychedelic lands, unlike the one made famous by The Beatles.

Instead, it will soon be lowered underneath a York road, where it will play a crucial role in a £400,000 programme of environmental works being carried out by Yorkshire Water.

Nicknamed the "Yellow Submarine", but officially called a combined sewer overflow, the device collects excess rainwater after a downpour before releasing it into local streams and rivers.

But unlike the current system, which sees solid waste such as used sanitary towels and condoms washed into the rivers and streams with the rainwater, the submarine has a screen which collects all the debris.

It then releases it into the sewers so it can make its way to sewage farms to be properly dealt with.

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said: "It is part of a scheme at Poppleton Road aimed at improving the appearance of water courses and the environment generally.

"We are spending millions on upgrading sewers in this way across Yorkshire.

"The problem was a hangover from Victorian times. We are taking steps to deal with it."

Yellow Submarine was featured on The Beatles' Revolver album. The band later made a cartoon based on the song where they went to a strange land and were confronted by the Blue Meanies.

Updated: 08:53 Friday, March 14, 2003