MINEHEAD Wombles - a new environmental group pledged to help tidy up the town - tackled their first major job last week when nearly 20 volunteers cleared the overgrown footpath between Minehead station and Seaward Way, weeding and picking up litter.

Named after the 1970s television characters who collected rubbish to help the environment, Minehead Wombles is the brainchild of local police officer Sam Donati, who said: “Our first major assignment went really well and we had a good turnout but there are still plenty of places in Minehead which need attention and we will always welcome more volunteers.

“We already have over 100 members and will not be tackling huge sites which need machinery but small areas which need sprucing up and we are very grateful to the town council, which is giving us a lot of support.”

Sam said the group will be Wombling again on Tuesday, November 2, on the footpath between Paganel Road and Whitegate Gardens between 11am and 2pm. Volunteers can bring trimmers, spades and secateurs tools will be available for those who need them.

Sam added: “Many hands make light work, and it will be great to improve and enhance areas of the town that need it.

“We need people to tell us what jobs need doing. The aim of Wombling is small-scale wins - little areas that we can make better and which people will notice.”