A well-meaning group were left pleasantly surprised after finding hardly any rubbish on an organised litter pick in New Brighton.

After fourteen months of lockdown, finally gaining some freedom of movement was a welcome change for the members of the Rotary Club of Wallasey.

Last Saturday, in brilliant sunshine, eight members - equipped with gloves, litter picking tools and disposable bin bags, set themselves a goal to help clean up the promenade in New Brighton and Wallasey, where they expected to find mountains of litter.

But to their astonishment they discovered a sea front that was practically litter-free instead.

The Wallasey Rotary Club's incoming president, Christina Spencer, said: “It was amazing how little litter had been thrown about.

"This is definitely a compliment to the people of Wallasey and New Brighton, as well as to the many hundreds of ‘day trippers’ who took their litter away with them or used the many public bins provided along the route, thus ensuring everyone could enjoy a clean promenade.

"We expected the worst and found the best. A big ‘well done’ is deserved by all!

Recent good weather has seen crowds flood back to Wirral's popular coastal hotspots like New Brighton and West Kirby, bringing fears of discarded excess litter.

Christina added: "Coming originally from Germany I have always been surprised how much litter people in this country freely discard on their roads and beaches but now must admit, it was astonishing just how little litter we found."