FIVE youngsters from Wimborne have spent their weekends cleaning up litter as part of a Dorset council led challenge.

The children, aged six to nine, took part in the Litter Free Dorset Challenge which has been running throughout the month of June.

The Council provided the litter pickers and special t-shirts adorned on the reverse with the words "Litter Free Dorset Challenge". Walking from their homes on the edge of town and watched over by their mums, they collected litter as they walked into Wimborne.

Anthony Oliver, Wimborne in Bloom Press Officer, congratulated the children on undertaking the “mundane task” on a Saturday afternoon. He said: “I am sure they could otherwise have been out enjoying themselves. If only people would use the litter bins provided around town there would not be the need for people having to undertake litter picking.”

The children are “super keen” to continue doing further sessions in the future according to mum Kerry, who said: “We'll keep on with this as a regular activity even for an hour or so once or twice a month.”

13kgs of rubbish was collected with items found including a wallet with credit cards, scaffolding clamps and beer cans.