Hundreds of volunteers of all ages were out in Oxford over the weekend picking up litter.

Could I say a huge thank you to everyone who used a grabber, filled a rubbish sack or collected recycling?

It was an even bigger Oxford spring clean than last year.

Teams of OxClean enthusiasts were out from Headington to Redbridge, from East Oxford to Littlemore, and in lots of other places too.

It was a reminder of what a tough job our dedicated city council street cleaners do week in and week out.

It costs the taxpayer more than £3m a year to keep our streets clean and tidy.

But when the Civic Society, the Oxford Mail and the city council get together we are unstoppable.

Oxford is a city to be proud of and a city which I hope will increasingly be litter free.

The message to everyone is take your litter home or use a litter bin.

Oxford is too important to be spoiled by crisp packets, cigarette ends and plastic drink bottles.

JOHN TANNER (Labour Cllr) Board Member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford City Councillor for Littlemore & County Councillor for Isis