A HALE TIDY up group is appealing to litter bugs to clean up their act and stop using a car park in the village as a dumping ground.

The Hale Community Tidy Up group carries out litter picks every six weeks.

One of the areas it regularly spruces up is Brown Street car park - but within a few weeks this area always once again becomes strewn with litter and debris.

Keith Neal, Hale Community Tidy Up co-ordinator said: "It is three weeks since the Brown Street car park was cleared of litter but, as, expected, it continues to be used as a rubbish dump."

"Fast food wrappers, cans, plastic bottles are among the items discarded around the perimeter of the car park and there is also some fly-tipping as well."

He said: "The hardest thing is reaching the people who do the littering and changing the mindset that says that litter is 'someone else's problem'."

The group is supported by ward councillors and Amey has helped by collecting some dumped items.

The group, which was set up in July, 2014, carries out its next tidy up on December 10. Anyone who would like to help can meet the group members at 2pm outside St Peter's House, Ashley Road, Hale, WA15 9SS.

The group has carried out 29 tidy-ups and 570 bags of litter have been collected. It was started by St Peter's Church, Hale and many members of the community have joined. Tea and cake are provided in St Peter's House after each session.

the bags of rubbish collected are temporarily stored in the St Peter's car park in Murieston Road and arrangements are made with One Trafford/Amey to take them away for re-cycling or disposal.