A BUS company has joined forces with an environmental group in a bid to keep Purbeck litter free.

Morebus has teamed up with the campaigners Litter-free Purbeck in an initiative to clean up Swanage, Wareham and Corfe Castle.

Andrew Wickham, managing director of Morebus, said: "This is a beautiful part of the world, and many travel across it with us.

"Particularly at this time of year and throughout the summer, we welcome thousands of passengers on-board our open-top Purbeck Breezer buses.

"They offer a wonderful vantage point and showcase the very best Dorset has to offer. As a proud part of the local community, we’re committed to helping improve the environment around us.

"It’s important for those who live here, and for attracting visitors to the area.

"With this in mind, we’re delighted to be partnering with Litter-free Purbeck - highlighting their campaign to reduce litter along the coast as well as in urban and rural areas."

The company's buses will be decorated in stickers to raise awareness of the campaign, and litter bins will be carried on board Morebus' 40 and 50 Purbeck Breezers, to encourage passengers to dispose of their rubbish correctly.

"If we all work together, we really can make a difference," said Mr Wickham. "We’re looking forward to a cleaner and even more beautiful Purbeck over the coming months.”

Litter-free Purbeck volunteer, Bridget Mayes, says group members were delighted when More bus agreed to the idea.

"We can’t thank them enough for running with it and partnering with us," she added. "It is so easy for plastic waste of all kinds – large, small, micro-sized – to enter the sea from our beautiful peninsula, when with minimal effort we can keep our environment litter-free and lovely for everyone.

"Thanks to TV programmes by Sir David Attenborough and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and to hundreds of community litter campaigns around the country, more and more of us are realising how important it is to dispose of our rubbish in the right way and to leave nothing but footprints.”

Meanwhile, chairman of Swanage Town Council's tourism committee, Cllr Caroline Finch, pointed out how Purbeck welcomes more than 3.5million day visitor each year, and there are approaching 2.5millionovernight stays spent in the district during the same period.

Cllr Finch said: "Morebus and Litter-free Purbeck have come up with a bright and positive way to encourage us all to put their rubbish in a bin or take it home if there is no bin or if the bins are full.

"It is responsible travel in action, a mobile message out there everyday on these popular open-topped bus routes that are so much part of the travel experience here in Purbeck.”