AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from Positive News, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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Emmylou Vaxby is a 14-year-old London schoolgirl who has spent nearly a decade searching the Thames foreshore for fragments of the city’s past. She is also an author and describes herself as a "mudlark," which she defines as a forager of artefacts on a riverbank. Her recent book, *A Guide to Mudlarking on the River Thames*, was published by Fonthill in 2025 for £16.99.

Emmylou began her hobby at age five or six when her best friend’s mother took them to look for pottery and glass. During lockdown, the activity became a passion as she spent daily hours on the Thames with her parents and brother. She now records her experiences on a blog and YouTube channel where she goes by "Emmylou the Mudlark." Last year, a publisher approached her to write the book, and she wrote between 1,000 and 2,800 words a day during the summer holidays of 2025.

In 2021, Emmylou founded the Wapping Plastic-Free Community through Surfers Against Sewage after seeing a swan mistake plastic for food. She organizes twice-yearly riverbank clean-ups with her mailing list of 60 people and joins litter picks organized by WaSh Wombles. Mudlarking requires a permit from the Port of London Authority, which is currently operating a waiting list. Finds must be recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme following advice from a Finds Liaison Officer.