FIFTY bin bags of rubbish have been collected during a week-long ‘deep clean’ of the main road into Didcot.

Litter pickers backed by members of the group Didcot First cleared litter and junk from hedgerows lining the two-mile stretch of the A4130 leading to the town from the A34 Milton Interchange.

Among the haul was an armchair, car wheels, rusty tools, and many bags of litter tossed out of cars.

Lee Collins, of Berinsfield Community Business, which carried out the work, said: “We have been working there for a week, and have pulled out everything from road cones to mudguards.

“We even came across an old saw and knife blade.”

The work was carried out before new spring foliage trapped the rubbish for another year.

Di Chesterman, of Didcot First, said: “It’s been a disgusting mess for a long time. The entrances to Didcot are important. They affect how people think of the town.

“This was our contribution to cleaning up the town.”

The project, the final cost of which is not yet known, comes ahead of a community litter picking event on February 27.

Didcot Town Council is organising the Big Tidy Up and inviting as many people as possible to meet at the Civic Hall, Britwell Road, at 10am and collect bin bags, gloves and a litter picker.

A similar event last year cleared 30 bags of rubbish and 15 bags of recycled waste.

Each year, 30 million tonnes of litter are collected from the UK’s streets, costing £500m.