One-man mission to tidy site
Michael Thorley with son Alexander, aged three and dog Lily, on the steps of the Town Hall with two bags full of litter from Castle Hill Come and check out our new menu Exciting new dishes added to our award winning menu created by our executive chef *Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Valid 01/07/17 - 31/07/17 IT’S one of our most famous landmarks ... but Castle Hill is being used as a dumping ground by some people who visit it.
For rubbish is being left strewn all over the hilltop site and has so incensed one Huddersfield man he decided to pick it up and quickly filled a couple of bin bags.
Michael Thorley, 35, took three-anda-half year old son Alexander and pet dog Lily on the clean-up after becoming angry by the amount of litter left by visitors to the beauty spot.
Later, Michael took the bin bags to the steps of Huddersfield Town Hall, explaining: “If I can walk from Castle Hill to the town centre with my son on my back and carrying 35kgs of rubbish, surely people can take their Mars bar wrappers with them when they leave.”
Examiner photographer Simon Morley also visited Castle Hill to capture images of empty polystyrene food containers, paper cups, drink cans, plastic packaging and food wrappers.
Several items were strewn on the ground just a few feet away from a litter bin.
Michael, a self-employed hairdresser, said some people made the excuse that there weren’t enough litter bins at Castle Hill, but he said: “You’re never more than 300 metres away from a bin.
“I have been walking around Castle Hill for 15 years and the litter problem is just escalating. People have picnics and leave stuff to blow away.
“When you go to places like Castle Hill you have a nice time and take something away from the experience. You shouldn’t be leaving rubbish behind. It shows a lack of respect.”
Readers quickly posted on our Facebook site their thoughts on the problem.
I noticed it was like one big litter bin up there the last time I visited my parents. You either stood on dog poo or some other sort of rubbish.
Dread to think what is now at the bottom of the well by the tower.
I went up there for the solstice and spent a couple of hours litter picking. It is awful up there sometimes.
Nice to know someone cares. Sad truth is it will be a mess again before you know it.
We saw a man walking along the road pushing his bike with his young son aged about nine or 10. The lad quite openly threw his drinks bottle on the floor and carried on walking. His dad never batted an eye. It’s what they’re taught unfortunately.