A PLUCKY team of litter pickers collected 19 bin bags of rubbish in a bid to rid Burnham beaches of rubbish.

A group of 11 people put on their gloves and picked up their prongs for the beach clean, which started at the mouth of the River Brue, and moved all the way along the banks towards Apex Park.

The team took two hours to pick up the letter, and found the usual litter suspects such as plastic and rope washed up on the shores, but also a tractor tyre and a car tyre.

The initiative, which is spearheaded by Mark Hollidge but the brainchild of Litter Free Coast and Sea Somerset organiser Harriet Yates-Smith, is part of a nationwide campaign to tackle the rubbish that blights Britain's beaches, but also to help improve the bathing water quality in Burnham-on-Sea.

Mark Hollidge, the group leader, said it had been a fruitful day.

Mr Hollidge said: "Burnham, Berrow and Brean have all been designated as areas that need to be worked on. We have done two beach cleans so far, but are planning to do three more next year.

"We want a steady group of people to take this forward, we had 11 this time and 19 before that.

"We picked up normal things like plastic bottles and paint pots and other small items that get washed up, but also a tractor tyre, and that was a job to move that.

"I didn't see any plastic bags myself, although I'm sure there would have been some, but since the supermarkets started charging for them we have seen a reduction in the amount we find.

"We were working on the estuary section of the river because along the banks there are weeds and reeds, and the rubbish can get tangled up, so we moved all of that. The beaches aren't so bad because the tide washes things away, but that doesn't happen on the river.

"It's important because it's a simple thing to do to improve the environment. All you need is people, equipment and a bit of work and it can make a huge difference in a short space of time."

The next beach clean will take place on January 14, and Ms Yates-Smith, from Litter Free Coast and Sea, urged people to get involved.

She said: "The whole aim is to have regular monthly beach cleans for the Brean, Berrow and Burnham areas.

"The cleans are always well attended, people just want to help out. Plastic can be really dangerous because it doesn't break down, and not only is it damaging to the environment it can be harmful to the wildlife as well, who mistake it for food, so it's important we try to reduce the amount."

For more information on the group or how to get involved visit facebook.com/litterfreesomerset/