Volunteers' clean sweep

Employees from quarries across the East Mendips in Somerset, including Whatley, took part in a litter pick to clean up roads around their sites.

The event was organised by the Mendip Quarry Producers Association (MQPA), which represents all the operating companies in the area, and resulted in more than 800 bags of rubbish being collected.

Whatley production manager Justin Collis said: “Our team did a great job covering a four-mile stretch and filling dozens of bags.”

Wainwright chief executive and MQPA chairman Peter Barkwill said: “We can’t control the amount of litter some people carelessly discard, and we can’t rely on the council to clean it up, particularly with constrained budgets.

“So, this was a great project with the local quarrying companies coming together to benefit not only the environment, but also the community in which we live and work.

“I would like to thank all the volunteers, who worked tirelessly and picked up a staggering amount of rubbish. The feedback from our neighbours has been incredibly positive.”

He said the MQPA planned to make it an annual event.