Swindon’s streets have been given a Covid-secure spruce for the start of the New Year.

Volunteers took part in a series of socially distanced litter picks for the inaugural Keep Swindon Tidy Day.

Last Saturday different groups around Swindon came out to tackle plastic pollution with a series of litter picks all over the town.

Ben Bell, central coordinator for Plastic Free Swindon said: “This was the first litter picking day that we’ve done like this and despite all the Covid restrictions we had a very positive day.”

Ben was helping to clean up Coate Water Country Park for the day.

“Lots of different groups turned up,” he added. “It was easy to distance from each other and it was very heartening to see so many people want to get involved."

Di Pithers is one of the Penhill Street Reps which litter picked the area around Dowton Road and the nearby recreation ground in Penhill. She said: “It went really well. We were able to do things in a Covid secure way, with everyone working outdoors and wearing PPE.

“People were able to work in their household bubbles as a team, covering a certain area and not getting too close to other bubbles.”

The Reps also gave their volunteers safety talks at the beginning and end of the two-hour session.

Organised by Plastic Free Swindon and Keep Swindon Tidy, the day of action was Inspired by Clean Up Australia Day in a bid to reduce the litter in our town.

Di added: “We were about to be asked to target that particular area by local residents, but had already anticipated it as a place that needed doing.

“The spot is an ongoing problem because people just walk through from the shop and just drop their litter,” said Di.

She also said the Reps picked up items that had been flytipped including doors, televisions and shopping trolleys.

“It was ridiculous the amount of stuff we were picking up," said Di.

“It shouldn’t be like this," she added. “These residents shouldn’t have to put up with this. Because we live in Penhill and we’re very conscientious residents, we don’t want to see where we live left in a mess like this by people who think it’s ok to fly tip and then leave.”

Ben Bell added: “We really need to address plastic pollution it’s a major contributor to disease as well as mass extinction and climate change.

“Litter is our pollution at a local level which causing suffering to wildlife in Swindon and this needs to be addressed.

“But people have been asking for there to be another day like this, so hopefully we've made an impact.”