MEMBERS of a Stourport sea scout group showed their dedication to their community by taking part in a litter pick in the countryside.

Stourport (MidSevern) KD17 teamed up with The Pickup Artists and collected 18 bags full of rubbish, along with a discarded spring mattress and a rusty old wheelbarrow, from Burlish Top Nature Reserve during a two-hour clean-up operation.

The Pickup Artists are a community group which is looking to instil more pride in the district and are carrying out regular litter picks and working with schools to help spread the message.

A Facebook group “Keeping Kidderminster and Surrounding Places Clean” was set up by resident Michelle Medler and the initiative has taken off and drawn praise from across the area.

Karen Blanchfield, from Stourport (MidSevern) KD17, said: “The scouts showed up in true team spirit and assisted with cleaning up many popular areas of Burlish Top Nature Reserve.

“The scouts and everyone involved were deeply shocked to learn and see first-hand how the public treat our community nature areas.

“However, by the end of this activity the scouts, leaders and the Pickup Artists were extremely proud of their efforts and achievements.

“The scouts also received lots of praise from passers-by who use the area, they also assisted by telling the scouts the location of worst littered areas.

“The litter they have cleaned up will have saved many animals living in the nature reserve from being harmed.

“They also learnt how many years the litter items they found would have taken to disintegrate or just stay there forever if they had not cleaned it up.

“The equipment used was provided by The Pickup Artists and collected by the council, which made this event truly a team adventure.”