JOIN THE LITTLE LITTER HEROES

Youngsters lead the way as the Great British Spring Clean kicks off across UK

THIS year’s Great British Spring Clean got off to a flying start yesterday as volunteers nationwide tackled the blight of rubbish.

An army of recruits answered the Daily Mail’s rallying cry to help make Britain beautiful again by cleaning streets, parks, beaches and even mountains.

The Great British Spring Clean (GBSC), backed by the Mail and organised by Keep Britain Tidy, runs until June 13. A total of 151,244 people have answered our call, pledging to clean 957,872 miles of Britain – bringing the magic target of cleaning one million miles tantalisingly close.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow was among those who took part in a local litter pick in her constituency of Taunton Deane, Somerset. She was joined by nine members of staff from KFC, which has partnered with Keep Britain Tidy.

Hailing the campaign and thanking the thousands joining in across the nation, she said: ‘As we all spend more time enjoying the great outdoors, many of us have seen our favourite walks, beauty spots and green spaces suffer from plastic bottles or food wrappers. That is why the Great British Spring Clean is so important to get our environment back on track.’

Anyone joining the Great British

Spring Clean is urged to pledge how many hours they expect to devote to picking litter by entering the information on the Keep Britain Tidy website.

The charity’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton, said: ‘The response of the great British public on the opening day of this year’s campaign has been overwhelming.

‘After an incredibly difficult year for everyone, the response to the Great British Spring Clean and the willingness of individuals, communities and businesses to join us on our million-mile mission shows that people have learned to value the environment on their doorstep, want to tackle the litter pollution that blights it – dropped by a thoughtless minority – and are ready and willing to take action.’

Among the more unusual items picked up yesterday was an 84year-old beer bottle found in a Worcestershire churchyard.

It was discovered by a group of 90 pupils from Kidderminster’s Hartlebury Church of England Primary School.

The group’s organiser Karen Blanchfield said: ‘The children were very excited about today’s finds in the churchyard.

‘There was a rusty bell, an old candle holder and a beer bottle from 1937.’

In Scotland, the campaign was given a massive boost by volunteers taking part in the Great Angus Beach Clean, which was used to launch the GBSC campaign north of the Border.

Members of community groups East Haven Together, East Grampian Coastal Partnership (EGCP) and other local residents were all on hand as clean-ups began at three locations in Angus.

EGCP marine litter project officer Crawford Paris said: ‘We are happy to support cleaning events like the Great British Spring Clean. It’s all for the greater good.’

‘The response is overwhelming’