A LITTER pick took place between Hexham Wombles, Surfers Against Sewage, and Tynedale Lions on Saturday, April 23.

17 bags of litter were collected from the A69 roundabout, Hexham's industrial estates and the area around the River Tyne. 

Coun. Suzanne Fairless-Aitken said: "The roadside verges were just awful, saturated with throw away rubbish straight out of car windows. I think we have forgotten how to be civilised human beings during Covid. So sad. But the Wombling response was just brilliant as ever. We will keep Wombling on."

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Suzanne said amongst the litter collected was packaging from McDonald's.

"I'm not anti-McDonald's at all - my kids love it - but I am apprehensive that people visiting, especially the drive-through, will just throw the litter out of cars onto the highways and roadside verges, just as we saw and collected at the weekend, before they've even got here."

Hexham Courant: LITTER: Suzanne with McDonald's litter. Image: Hexham Wombles LITTER: Suzanne with McDonald's litter. Image: Hexham Wombles

"I know McDonald's currently have a new litter campaign so I look forward to working with them closely as a Hexham Councillor once they arrive to help monitor the problem. I'm sure they will want to fit into our lovely community here," she added.

Coun. Alison Smith and owner of Matthias Winter, an eco-friendly shop in Hexham, said: "Matthias Winter took part in the inaugural SAS Million Mile beach clean last year. This year we joined together with Suzanne's Wombles to great effect."

"Surfers Against Sewage is an environmental charity based in Cornwall. Even though it is described as a beach clean, everyone is welcome to just pick up around their local environments. They are now aiming to run the Million Mile Beach Clean every year until 2030."

Hexham Courant: WOMBLE: (L-R) Coun. Alison Smith and Coun. Suzanne Fairless-Aitken with Orinocco the Womble. Image: Hexham Wombles WOMBLE: (L-R) Coun. Alison Smith and Coun. Suzanne Fairless-Aitken with Orinocco the Womble. Image: Hexham Wombles

"Participants are encouraged to clean 10 miles of land over the year. In 2021 more than 20,000 volunteers took part and removed approx 80,000 kg of plastic pollution from the environment," she added.

Jack Middleton, Community and Events Manager at Surfers Against Sewage, said: "The aim for 2022 is to build on this growth and continue the movement for the environment and against the scourge of plastic pollution."

Another Hexham litter pick is planned for later in the year.