Volunteers to fight litterbugs

VOLUNTEERS are set to fight the litterbugs on the beaches – by cleaning up a stretch of shoreline which is one of a community's hidden assets.

Trimley foreshore is a popular beach in spring and summer, used by hundreds of villagers to relax and play.

But the area of sand and shingle, hidden away at the end off a footpath leading from Thorpe Lane, is blighted by rubbish, dumped in the River Orwell by passing ships and washed ashore.

Now a new group, Trimley St Martin Rivercare, is set to look after the beach and give it a regular clean so that people can really enjoy it.

Parish councillor Keith Slaughter said environmental campaign group EnCams had helped with the project, which will see a team of volunteers visit the foreshore once a month to check it and clear any litter.

"It's a lovely area of beach, very pleasant and well-used but the litter down there can be an awful problem sometimes when there is an enormous amount of rubbish," said Mr Slaughter.

"The parish council has wanted to do something for a long while to deal with the rubbish, which appears to come from shipping and just comes ashore and collects on the high tide line.

"Now we hope this project will mean that a regular eye is kept on the area and that it is kept as litter free as possible so that it remains unspoiled."

The group will launch on Sunday with its first litter pick at 10am when volunteers are more than welcome to go along and join in.

It is hoped around 20 volunteers who have expressed an interest will turn up for the purge, along with a delegation of cadets from the Felixstowe Air Training Corps squadron.

WEBLINK: www.encams.org