Long Sutton litter pickers in plea to rubbish louts

A group of volunteer litter pickers are calling for people to change their habits after some stomach turning finds.

The Long Sutton Wombles, who set up their group in February, are working to make the town a cleaner place but admit they are up against it after a number of horrid finds.

From hundreds of takeaway cups to drinks bottles filled with urine, the group is clearing up daily but admits we are “drowning in our own filth”.

Jay Martin, a member of the group, said: “We really want to raise awareness of the eco-catastrophe we are seeing.

“It shouldn’t be down to the Long Sutton Wombles – it shouldn’t be there in the first place.

“We are drowning in our own filth and no one really seems to care.

“I just wonder what is wrong with people. You find bottles of urine at the side of roads and in laybys and you have to pick it up.

“It’s beyond disgusting.”

Jay, along with his partner and child, has been clearing areas of the town regularly and he says that the group’s work is making a difference.

He said: “What we are ding does make a difference – we went out last Sunday and collected around 20 to 30 bags of rubbish. It’s devastating.

“Now I include the road in my daily walk around and there’s only maybe half a bag to a bag’s worth of rubbish to collect.

“In some areas the rubbish has laid there so long that the plants have grow over it and you can hear the plastic crunching underfoot.

“Once you get what I call ‘litter eye’ you realise it’s everywhere.

“Long Sutton is a lovely little town and we just want to get it cleaned up – every little bit helps and I would ask anyone who sees litter to pick it up. Don’t just walk by it.”

The group has already
received support from businesses in the area which have offered to make donations in order to help with their work.

Jay is hoping that more people decide to join the group so that they can continue making a difference.

He said: “We have held our first meeting where members picked up their kits and their high viz jackets and now everyone is going out on a daily basis.

“We’ve only really just started the group but we plan to have another meeting on March 21 where people can come along to get a kit and to have a chat about what we are doing.

“Loads of businesses are wanting to donate to help us which is great too.

“We would ask anyone wanting to join to make sure they post about their work on our Facebook page too so we can see it.”