FORTY bin bags. That was the number of black bin liners filled by up to 50 volunteers who gave up their Sunday morning to pick up other people’s rubbish from Nairn’s Tradespark Woods.

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The event organised by the town’s environmental charity Green Hive was sparked by an online “rant” from Nairn dog walker Liz Carran who hit out at the “lazy, uncaring” litter louts who were ruining people’s enjoyment of the small woodland.

She said: “I just got sick of the blight of litter every time I walked there with my two dogs. It’s such a shame people just chuck their rubbish away or even go the great lengths to get rid of it like poking a can or bottle right into the ground instead of just taking it to a bin.

“They might think they’re ‘giving someone a job’ but they’re not. They’re just being lazy and uncaring towards the environment. If you have to have a secret drink or two and a sly fag, or lots of chocolate in the woods, go for it, but please put your rubbish in the bin.

“Why should a few spoil it for the rest of us?”

Green Hive chairman Simon Noble said all kinds of rubbish was bin-bagged but cans of cider and beers were the predominating factor.

He said: “These were found in bunches so that would suggest people are going into the woods to neck a few cans and then just leaving them behind them.”

Describing the event as “a tremendous community effort”, he added: “There was a really good positive feel about it and people felt positive about what they were doing and enjoyed being together doing it.

“We had quite a few people who have not been involved in our activities before.”

Another litter pick is being organised to clean up Nairn's beach, dunes and riverside on Saturday April 27 from 10am-12pm.

Green Hive will provide bags and gloves and after-event snacks and drinks will be served at Nairn Sailing Club.

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