Residents of the Somerset West and Taunton Council area are being urged to get behind the Great British September Clean and help keep the district tidy.

The national event was set to take place from March 20 to April 13 but was postponed due to Covid-19. Instead, it kicked off on Friday and runs until Sunday, September 27.

The council is giving its support to local groups and individuals taking part in or co-ordinating litter clearing efforts by providing litter grabbers and tabards where possible.

It has also arranged to pick up and take away any rubbish bags collected through litter picks.

Leader of the council Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts took part in a community litter pick at Longrun Meadow and French Weir said: “I hope this campaign will see bad habits and carelessness replaced by positive attitudes to rubbish and a lasting sense of public responsibility.

“The council is particularly pleased to see its parks and open spaces included in the local clean up as national statistics show that more than half of the country’s parks have experienced a rise in issues, including litter and anti-social behaviour, since lockdown was eased.  

“We hear much about the problems caused by litter but we don’t often hear about the efforts of staff and the army of volunteers to clear it up, so I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for the work they do all year round in making our parks and open spaces places we can all enjoy.”

To get involved and show support for the Great British September Clean visit www.keepbritaintidy.org/user/register to organise a private clean-up with up to five other family and friends or click the ‘pledge’ link to do your own individual clean-up – participants can give as little as 15 minutes to the campaign.