BLACKBIRD Leys locals joined forces to tackle litterbugs.

On Saturday, volunteers from Oxford Friends of the Earth and the Leys Neighbourhood Watch team set out on a mission to pick up as much litter as possible as part of OxClean's 'spring clean'.

OxClean is an Oxford Civic Society initiative that aims to keep Oxford clean and tidy all year round to ensure the city is a 'welcoming and pleasant place for people to live, work and visit'.

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The clean on Saturday began outside Oxford Community Centre and lasted for two hours.

Michaela Haider, from Blackbird Leys and a member of the Oxford Friends of the Earth, said: "While we deal with global issues like the climate crisis, it's also important to work on a local level as well.

"I would like to help make my neighbourhood become an even better place for everyone to enjoy and live, and this is one way of doing that.

"We invited local residents and our councillors to join us in cleaning up the green spaces in Blackbird Leys. It's a good thing to be doing this and raising awareness on World Environment Day."

In total, 12 residents attended the event.

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Maggie Lewis, who helps organise Blackbird Leys Neighbourhood Watch, said: "Litter picking gave some laughs along the way while meeting new people and keeping our neighbourhoods clean.

"You can make a difference by joining the neighbourhood watch."

This year there will be 60 'spring cleans' with the next litter pick taking place on Saturday, June 12.

Councillor Linda Smith said: “It’s wonderful to see community-spirited members of the public come forward to organise litter picking.

"I’ve joined in myself previously and it can be a very rewarding activity.

"Oxford Direct Services works hard and does a good job keeping our streets and green spaces tidy but the volume of litter can sometimes be overwhelming, especially when the weather is good.

"Everyone needs to play their part and take their litter home for waste disposal or recycling.”

There has been an ongoing litter crisis throughout Oxford in the last twelve months.

Just last month horses' in Port Meadow were left injured after cutting their hooves on broken glass that had been left.

This comes after an anti-littering campaign Don’t Feed The Animals launched by Oxford City Council to highlight the danger of litter for pets, livestock, and wildlife.

As the weather warms up and restrictions on outdoor gatherings ease, the council anticipates a bigger problem with rubbish in the city’s parks and green spaces.

They are urging everyone to do their bit to keep places safe and clean.

Oxford University has also taken a stance this month against the age-old university tradition of 'trashing' where final year students would throw around food, alcohol, and confetti on those finishing their final exams. Christ Church College has therefore decided to shut the meadow for two hours twice a day to protect the local environment.

OxClean's 'spring cleaning' events take part all over the city to help reduce the amount of litter in Oxford.