TOURISTS visiting Teesdale say they were “disgusted and angry” when they found piles of rubbish abandoned the banks of the River Tees.
Keen walker Adrian Partridge, from Derbyshire, said he was entranced by the beauty of Teesdale and hoped to explore more of the “unspoilt countryside” . However, he was incensed when he and his walking partner, Diane Carter, came across the remnants of a party, discarded at the side of the River Tees near Cotherstone.
He said: “It’s so beautiful around here with all the trees and the river – it just made me really mad to see all the rubbish left there. We were walking alongside the river and came up to this pebble beach area at Cotherstone Hag.
“There were piles of pizza boxes and cardboard drinks carriers. Whoever left it there had obviously tried to make some sort of campfire as they had put stones around it and it couldn’t have been there long as it was bone dry which was odd as there had been rain most of the week.”
Mr Partridge said it was the only rubbish they had encountered during their week-long holiday.
“It just made me really angry that someone had left it there instead of taking it home with them,” he added.
Mr Partridge said they decided to dig through the detritus to see if there was any evidence of who had dumped the litter. They found a plastic bag filled with coursework from a student at Teesdale School.
The paperwork included details of the student’s name various subjects including environmental studies.
Mr Partridge added: “It’s ironic as the student got good marks for his work on environmental studies, but he obviously hasn’t learned much. I know littering goes on all over the country, but something needs to be done.”
Ms Carter said: “I was totally disgusted when we came across all the rubbish left by Teesdale School students. No attempt whatsoever to burn it. There clearly is a need for additional education in such matters. Shame on them.”
