HUNDREDS of litter-busters helped blitz rubbish on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend to kick-start the Great Tendring Beach Clean.

The week-long event is back for the third year and urges environment enthusiasts to help clean up the district's coastline. 

The event began on Sunday (September 22), with litter-picking groups and Tendring Council providing equipment and waste bags to volunteers.

Busy - Clacton litter pickers with a trolley ready to carry bags of rubbishBusy - Clacton litter pickers with a trolley ready to carry bags of rubbish (Image: Kevin Jay) Groups that took part in the litter pick include:

  • Harwich litter pickers
  • Walton Wallys
  • Frinton Frombles
  • Holland on Sea Bluetits
  • Clacton volunteer litter picking
  • Clacton River Ninjas
  • Tendring Primary Recycling Scheme
  • Jaywick Sands Litter Picking
  • Community Voluntary Services Tendring
  • RiverCare & BeachCare
  • CleanupUK

The groups covered about 36 miles of the Tendring coastline. 

Smiles - Walton Wally's doing their part Smiles - Walton Wally's doing their part (Image: Rachel Barford)

Rachel Barford, leader of the Walton Wally's litter picking group, said it was great to be a part of the event.

She said: "We had 25 volunteers taking part in two groups - one starting at Walton Pier and one at the Naze.

"Between us we collected ten bags, although please bear in mind that most of the litter tended to be tiny pieces like cigarette ends and smaller, so you need a lot of these to fill a bag.

"It was great to be part of an event so big, and knowing that all these environmentally aware people in Tendring were taking part all at the same time. There always is a friendly and positive feeling between us." 

Team - Carole Fuller [far right] and her team of litter pickers Team - Carole Fuller [far right] and her team of litter pickers (Image: Carole Fuller)

Carole Fuller, 68, picked up eight bags of rubbish with seven other volunteers in Clacton.

She said: "High tide on Saturday made for perfect timing for the Beach Clean and our results show hard work throughout the year pays of. 

"Litter impacts every day, week and month. It's an all-year persistent problem but as volunteers we care about our community.

"Many of us regularly walk, cycle, swim and enjoy our stretch of the coastline, so it matters greatly to us."