Half a chair, underwear, barbed wire and mattress among items found during successful Hitchin community spring clean

The Big Hitchin Spring Clean (Image: Archant)

More than 100 people turned out on Sunday for The Big Hitchin Spring Clean, organised by Hitchin Forum, in a successful bid to rid the town of litter. As usual, there were some interesting including half a chair, underwear, rolls of barbed wire, shopping trolleys, masses of DVD’s, a mattress and duvet along with the remains of lots of picnics in several dens in shrubbery on Windmill Hill, a McDonald’s staff cap, and most sadly, a recently deceased hedgehog on Butts Close.

Organiser Ellie Clarke said: “It’s the greatest volume of rubbish ever collected during a town clean up, but volunteers reported most of the parks they cleaned were in better condition previously, so perhaps we’ve cleared out most of the old rubbish – and now it’s much more recent litter being tackled. “It’s encouraging, as is the number of children and families out there helping us.”

The Big Hitchin Spring Clean (Image: Archant)

The community event picked up the refuse from sites around the town including Pinehill Field, Butts Close, Bancroft and Ransom’s recreation grounds – while Windmill Hill and The Dell were tackled by groups and families, including 45 children.

Other volunteers attacked streets like Nightingale and Walsworth Roads, near Hitchin station, Willow Lane, Moormead Hill, St Michael’s and Fishponds Roads as well as Woodside car park.

Footpaths that were cleaned up included Pinehill Path, Burton’s Path, paths around Wilshere Dacre and St Andrew’s Schools, Riddy Lane, Elmside Walk, College Path and footpaths on both sides of Windmill Hill.

Ellie added; “We know there’s still areas that need tackling and we are already planning our Big Hitchin Autumn Clean Up.”

For more visit www.hitchinforum.org.uk.