VOLUNTEERS were out in force at the weekend helping to make Barnard Castle and the surrounding area a cleaner, greener place.
On Saturday, almost 30 people took part in a town council-organised clean-up, while on Sunday, members of Barnard Castle Ramblers headed out with litter pickers and bin bags.
Both events were part of the LitterFree Durham Big Spring Clean campaign, run in conjunction with Darlington Borough Council and Durham County Council.
In Barnard Castle, some 26 bags of rubbish were collected by the 28 volunteers.
Organiser Cllr Roger Peat said almost half the rubbish was collected from parts of the town that actually form part of Marwood Parish Council’s area.
An invitation had been extended to Marwood members to join in, but this was declined.
Nine members of the ramblers also covered part of Marwood parish, meeting at the junction of the exit from the Jersey Farm Hotel and Town Pasture Lane, known locally as Gypsy Lane.
Joan Martin, one of those taking part, said: “Some litter had been there so long it had undergrowth growing around it.
“We squeezed among bushes and down in the mud. The main type of rubbish was drink cans and plastic drink bottles. There were also lots of glass bottles as well as containers that had had takeaway food in them.”
At least 15 bags of rubbish were collected by the ramblers.
Mrs Martin added: “It gave us a sense of satisfaction that we had done our bit for the environment.
“How nice it would be if thoughtless people took their litter home – there wouldn’t be a need for volunteer litter pickers.”
