NEARLY 300 litter-pickers hit the sands and streets across the Redcar and Cleveland area and collected more than 500 bags of rubbish.

Volunteers dedicated their spare time clearing up areas all over the borough in a mission to rid the area of litter in support of a national campaign, Clean for The Queen, honouring Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday.

Cllr Carl Quartermain, who took part in the clear-up with FRED (Friends of Redcar), said: "Thanks to the great support from our friends at FRED and The National Citizen Service, here in Redcar we have got off to a great start this year. Not only did we see over 50 residents and visitors clearing the beach of litter and detritus but also we were able to draw attention back on the dangerous debris-ridden Coatham Dunes."

Cllr Steve Kay, ward member for Lockwood, said: “We have had clean-up events in both Lingdale and Moorsholm in which I took part. In Lingdale the litter-pick was co-ordinated with a Bring Out Your Dross day. It was a joint event involving Lingdale Lift-Off, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Lockwood Parish Council and Lingdale Primary School.

"In Moorsholm, the litter-pick was organised by Moorsholm in Bloom, again with assistance from Redcar and Cleveland. It rained cats and dogs but nobody was deterred."

While Cllr Helen McLuckie, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to the volunteers who spent time during their weekend clearing up our beaches, streets and green spaces. To have cleared over 500 bags worth of litter in the space of a weekend is fantastic and will make a huge difference to our borough."