LOCKDOWN litter louts have been told to clear up after themselves in Redditch open spaces.

The borough council says it had to clear up nearly two tonnes of rubbish after the first weekend following the easing of coronavirus restrictions on how many people can get together outdoors.

As people took advantage of record-breaking hot weather trash piled up and bins overflowed, prompting a stern response from councillors.

Council leader, Cllr Matt Dormer, said: “Not only is this litter ruining the parks for other visitors, it is also very disrespectful to the teams who have the never-ending task of cleaning up afterwards.

"Our teams on the ground are going above and beyond, working harder than ever, to keep these areas tidy and I would like to ask residents to take some responsibility for the parks too and take their rubbish home.”

Following the last weekend in May, council workers collected, from bins and litter picking, 1.5 tonnes of rubbish at Arrow Valley Countryside Park, which included five illegal fly tips, and 440kg of rubbish from Morton Stanley Park alone.

Cllr Mike Rouse, whose portfolio covers parks and open spaces, said: “We are looking at measures to help, including working with our volunteer partners, but even then we can only do so much.

"The team at the council is working tirelessly to meet this sharp increase in demand that is way above usual summer trends and is an unprecedented situation. We need our residents to help us by being extra considerate – if the bin is full please just take it home with you.”

People are being reminded to take their litter home or leave larger amounts in a tied up bin liner by a council bin.

The council’s bulky waste service is now available and can be used for home collection including larger items.