A LITTER picking group from Rubery, on a mission to clean up the streets, managed to collect over 1,000 bags of rubbish last year.

Rubery Wombles collected a staggering 1,160 bags of refuse in 2021, and cleaned up various fly tipping hot spots across the area.

Frances Clarke and Jane Winson set the group up nearly three years which has gone from strength to strength, now achieving a 446 strong membership.

Frances said fly tipping is on the increase and 'is everywhere'.

"In 2021, the group did a lot of big collections, collecting flytipping - you see it everywhere at the moment," she said.

"1160 bags is probably an underestimate as we have groups of people that collect their own rubbish which would not have been counted in the final total.

"We try to do regular collections every two weeks - we don't have a set pattern, we go where the need is.

Bromsgrove Advertiser: Frances Clarke with Rubery Wombles members. Frances Clarke with Rubery Wombles members.

"The group cleaned up a big fly-tipping hotspot in Callowbrook Park and Woods which was a lot of historic fly tipping like old fencing which has built up over the years.

"Some of the bigger stuff is quite a challenge to move but we get there!"

2021 also saw the formation of the B45 Big Community Clean Up - a combined effort between four litter picking groups in the B45 postcode.

Each week in April the groups focused on woodland, parks, main roads or side roads in a bid to reduce the amount of rubbish in the area.

In the total the campaign collected over 900 bags of refuse.

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Frances added: "We all enjoy it, we make a difference and its so satisfying to see an area go from cluttered to clean.

"We are trying to get more involved in the community and work with primary schools and groups as education about litter is so important."