A TOTAL of 39 volunteers braved the cold in Minehead on Sunday (November 23) to take part in a large-scale beach clean and town litter pick organised by Plastic Free Exmoor and Plastic Free Minehead and which resulted in a haul of 350 kg of rubbish.

Groups spread out across the town, clearing the beach and shingle ridges between Culvercliffe and Dunster while others tackled known litter hotspots around the town.

Alongside hundreds of glass and plastic bottles and tin cans, volunteers retrieved a range of discarded items, including two tyres, a step ladder, garden loppers, tent poles, cushions, a syringe, and a disposable barbecue.

After the clean-up, the litter and debris was sorted, recorded, and, wherever possible, recycled.

The collected data will be submitted to Surfers Against Sewage’s Million Mile Clean programme, contributing to national efforts to highlight the most polluting brands.

A spokesperson for Plastic Free Communities in West Somerset said: “When you first look at the beach and the seafront area of Minehead it looks relatively clean and litter free.

“But when you look a little closer, for example in the flower beds, the hedgerows and in between the rocks on the beach, there are huge amounts of litter that just goes unnoticed.

“The efforts of the volunteers on Sunday’s clean-up made a massive difference to our town and coastline.

“We would like to thank the Beach Hotel for hosting the event and idverde for collecting the litter that could not be recycled.

“Most of all, we thank the volunteers who gave up their time on a cold November morning to help with this beach clean and litter pick.

“Plastic Free Exmoor and Plastic Free Minehead hope the success of this event will encourage more local residents to take part in future clean-ups and continue helping to protect the area’s coastline and natural environment.”