LITTER Free Dorset are asking people across the county to take part in a challenge throughout June.

This challenge, to clean up your local area at a time that suits you, is also part of the citizen's science Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP) Project, and those taking part will be able to submit data to help academics track plastic pollution across the English Channel region.

The initiative is supported by Queen Mary University London.

Dr Iwan Jones, PPP project leader at Queen Mary University: "Joining in the challenge can help to clear up your local environment, but providing us with your data can help us to develop solutions to the problem of plastic pollution, which can then be utilised across the channel region as well as further afield."

Residents in Dorset can sign up to take part in the Litter Free Dorset Challenge up until May 17.

The challenge will then run for the duration of June.

People can sign up to a challenge of their choosing and will receive a litter picker T-shirt and weighing scales.

Sophie Colley, coordinator for Litter Free Dorset said: Litter picking is proven to increase your fitness and wellbeing.

"This is due to being outdoors, exploring new places and meeting new people along the way.”

Alongside the challenge, Litter Free Dorset has created a Facebook group for participants to share their progress with their individual challenges and receive support from each other as well as the public.

A Litter Free Dorset spokesman said: "As part of your challenge you can also fundraise money for Litter Free Dorset.

"Litter Free Dorset is a community campaign to reduce litter in Dorset hosted by Dorset Council.

"If you would like to fundraise or donate funds to help us achieve our goals to reduce the social, economic, and environmental impacts of litter we would be very grateful."

Visit litterfreedorset.co.uk for information.