MOTHERS and toddlers showed it is never too early to get started on a spring clean – particularly when it comes to tidying up a city.

The Roundabout Children’s Centre in Barton, Oxford, is one of the latest groups to register for the 2010 OxClean Spring Clean, which will see hundreds of volunteers blitzing litter grot-spots on Friday and Saturday, March 5 and 6.

The children’s centre has collected five of the 400-plus litter pickers OxClean is providing for groups taking part in the project, which is sponsored by the Oxford Mail’s sister paper The Oxford Times.

Toddlers joined their parents for an early practice session at Ormerod School in Barton on Monday, where the Roundabout Children’s Centre is based.

Kathy Shepherd, a senior member of staff at Roundabout, said: “The litter pick went really well and the children enjoyed it.

“We are now thinking about having a go at cleaning up a park nearby.”

She is also aiming to enlist the help of the Roundabout dad’s group, which meets twice monthly when fathers and grandads bring children to the centre.

OxClean organisers says that so far more than 60 community groups have signed up – with scores of grot spots identified.

The list includes car parks, shopping areas and housing estates. But volunteers will also tackle green areas such as the Trap Grounds and Wolvercote Common.

They are still appealing for more schools and businesses to take part.

OxClean was able to buy the litter pickers thanks to a £2,500 grant from the Oxfordshire Community Foundation and £200 from Carl Room, the owner of McDonalds franchises in Botley, Headington and the city centre, who is one of this year’s sponsors.

Mr Room has promised that any youngsters who join one of his litterpick teams will get a free meal.

OxClean, created by Oxford Civic Society, focuses on areas within the city.

For more information, and to register, visit oxclean.org.uk. To suggest grot-spots that need tackling, email details and your contact number to info@oxclean.org.uk