Lanes worst affected by discarded food packets and drinks cans

DRINK cans were among the most common items of rubbish found at this year’s Ewelme village spring clean.

About 25 volunteers took part in the annual event organised by Ewelme Parish Council on Saturday.

The village’s most littered areas were Day’s Lane and Parsons Lane, with food packets also being commonly found.

About 15 bags of rubbish were collected on the pick, which covered the whole village. District councillor Andrea Powell, who lives in The Street, said it was important that children took part in the clean.

Cllr Powell said: “It is really important to instil the importance of looking after the village, in children particularly.

“We are very fortunate to live in a beautiful place and it is important that the children feel that community spirit.

“One of those who came this morning said that her Christmas wish last year was that there was to be no litter.”

When volunteers arrived, they were assigned a road with some choosing to clean their own, and they were given hi-vis vests, pickers and bags.

Cllr Powell said the “sheer volume” of litter in some areas was shocking, and that she was disappointed to see recyclable bottles in hedges.

“Bottles and cans are very easily recyclable. Given that we are the best recycling district in the country, it is a shame to see that some people throw their bottles into the hedges,” she said.

The event is part of the Great British Spring Clean and parish clerk Joanna Brock, who organised the event, said she was pleased with the turnout.

Cllr David Solomon, chair of the parish council, helped take part in the clean. He said: “It was very irregular because I walked up from my house at the other end of the street and saw one piece of litter, and that was before it was picked. It does seem the lane is much worse than the centre of the village.

“We have people walking around the centre of the village willing to pick up, most people came back with full bags of litter.”

Cllr Gavin McLauchlan, who represents the village on Benson Parish Council, said the event was about community, illustrated by the variety of ages of people who took part.