DESPITE the chilly weather on March 12 the residents of Richards Castle turned out in force to wage war on the rubbish that had been discarded along the roads and pavements in the Shropshire and Herefordshire parishes. Organised by Richards Castle WI the Big Tidy Up litter pick followed the same pattern as the successful event held last year.

In a less than three hours the 20 litter pickers had amassed over a quarter of a ton of waste that thoughtless motorists had jettisoned as they passed through the attractive countryside. “It was a great result and a lot of effort by people who care about their environment. Some of the rubbish was quite unpleasant and in some cases too bulky - like the lorry wheel and an abandoned porta-loo, which had to be left for a heavy lift gang” said Gloria Corfield, president of the WI, who organised the event.

“All the teams were given complimentary refreshments in the village hall coffee and cake shop when they finished and Shropshire council was on hand to remove the sacks of rubbish after the event. We were grateful for Shropshire Highways providing protective clothing, tabards and litter grabs for all our volunteers and for their help and advice to make sure it was safe. Hopefully this will become an annual event.” she added.