Peter Hayward next to rubbish along the Gipping Walk near The Range Store, Ipswich.

A DISGRUNTLED resident has called on the community to pull together in a bid to rid the town of litter.

Peter Hayward told The Star of his anger over the amount of rubbish strewn alongside the River Gipping near West End Road and Yarmouth Road, and the walkway next to it.

The 57-year-old said he has become “disgusted” by the number of beer cans, beer bottles and plastic bags which are either thrown into the water or left on seating areas along the river.

Today, he questioned what the authorities were doing to maintain the area and called on residents to work together to ensure litter doesn’t ruin a “picturesque area”.

“I think it is completely ruining the area,” he said. “It is nice along that stretch of the water there is a lot of wildlife and nice flowers and plants too.

“But it is being ruined by the amount of rubbish. When I first moved in I didn’t really notice it, but the longer I have lived here the more I do notice it and the more it gets to me.

“I do think the community is at fault because we should care enough about the area we live in not to litter.

“I think everyone has a responsibility to keep it nice otherwise visitors would come here once and never again – it is that off-putting.”

A spokesman for the borough council said: “The borough council is taking a party of volunteers to clean the river in that area tomorrow. We are making an effort to clean up the area because we believe it will make a big difference.”

The Environment Agency was unavailable to comment.

What do you think? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.