WALKING past Gilroy Nature Reserve on Sunday I decided that if just one person picked litter up, then 100 other people would never have to look at it again.

So my friend and I planned a pleasant hour of litter picking on Monday to tidy up the area.

As a qualified nurse, I can say that this was unexpectedly the most disgusting two hours I’ve ever spent.

I take my hat off to the refuse collectors of Wirral.

They do a truly thankless, difficult and unpleasant task.

We collected six full black bin bags of the usual tin cans, hundreds of plastic drinks bottles, four pizza boxes, and numerous sweet and biscuit wrappers.

What upset us more, was the adult human excrement with nappy wipes, dirty nappies thrown into the bushes, empty marijuana packets, and hundreds of sweetcorn tins (scattered around the fishing points).

Two visitors were very good, they bagged their rubbish into their shopping bag - but then threw it into the brambles.

But, by far the worst, was the council dustbin sack thrown onto a bonfire.

This had melted into a congealed mess of melted bottles, nappies and dog excrement sacks.

I used to bring my children to this point to feed the ducks and see the fish.

I was horrified that any children would smell and see this ruination of a beautiful landscape.

It was this thought that motivated me to remove it.

We left the site with all the rubbish to go to the tip.

The final shock was reaching the car, the point we had started, only to find a fresh crisp packet and a plastic cup discarded on the start of the path.

We both went home to re-shower and disinfect our clothing.

We were so disheartened and I dread taking my dog back to find it destroyed again.

Please, PLEASE, encourage everyone to value the beauty and benefits to all of us, of this lovely nature reserve.

Julie Stewart by email.