More than 200 Hitchin heroes donned Hi-Vis vests for the Big Autumn Litter Pick this October.

The Comet: Hitchin 'plogging' group joined in the fun with their debut event. Picture: Rachel CampbellHitchin 'plogging' group joined in the fun with their debut event. Picture: Rachel Campbell (Image: Archant)

Parks, paths and verges across the town were cleared of litter, as 215 ready volunteers joined forces to wage war on waste.

Community groups Clean Up Hitchin, Less Waste Hitchin and Hitchin Forum led the offensive, but a great mix of young and old brought their litter-pickers - including North Herts district councillors and youth groups.

The event also doubled up as the debut outing for the Hitchin 'plogging' group - a community group who combine litter-picking with jogging.

In total, 105 bags of litter were collected on the day, as well as a hefty 59 bags of recyclables.

The 11th Hitchin Guides got stuck in on on their regular patch in The Dell, led by their dedicated leader Jo Clinch.

Jo said: "We adopted this area as a unit a few years ago when the Big Hitchin picks were first launched, and are glad to have done our bit of Hitchin again!

"This time we filled 25 black rubbish bags, 20 recycling bags and seven rubble sacks full of glass. Among the more interesting items we also found were a Christmas tree, two chairs and a full size lamppost!"

Steve Biggs, a member of Hitchin plogging group, tweeted: "Had an inspiring day plogging in Hitchin as part of the Autumn Big Litter Pick. Thanks to Ping, Clean Up Hitchin and Hitchin Forum for organising the town's 200+ volunteers. Our top finds were a lampshade and an angler's annual from 1987!"

Ping Heathcote, founder of the Hitchin plogging group, added: "Every wave starts with a ripple, and we firmly believe the good-natured running community of Hitchin will embrace more plogging to grow it into the kind of regular eco clean-up operation our countryside is desperately crying out for."

Rachel Campbell of Clean Up Hitchin - who organised this year's event - said: "The Big Hitchin Litter Picks have been led, for the last seven years, by Hitchin Forum's Ellie Clarke, without whom they simply would not have happened.

"We would all like to thank her for her amazing dedication and hard work and wish her well as she hangs up her litter picker!"

Hitchin Forum and Clean Up Hitchin have teamed up since 2012 to organise a series of popular clean-up days in the town.

For more information go to hitchinforum.org.uk - where details of the next event will be posted.