CHESTER-le-Street’s popular Riverside Park has been given a spring clean.

Walkways and footpaths along the riverbanks were tidied on Tuesday (March 24) by groups and volunteers from LitterFree Durham’s Big Spring Clean campaign.

Students from Park View School in Chester-le-Street, Durham County Council’s Civic Pride and Clean and Green teams and Environment Agency workers also took part.

The Big Spring Clean, now in its fifth year, encourages people to join litter picks and being held until Saturday, April 18.

Cllr Brian Stephens, county council cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “Events like these are a great opportunity for people to pull together and we are grateful to all the volunteers who get involved and help care for their local area.”

Twenty-five people took part, including members of the town’s angling and rowing clubs.

They collected 45 sacks of rubbish and removed steel cabling from the River Wear.

Visit www.durham.gov.uk/bigspringclean or call 03000 261 000 for more on the Big Spring Clean.