People in Thetford are set to benefit from a tidier town after new litter picking equipment was handed to volunteers thanks to the efforts of local councillor.

Litter pickers, gloves, bags and hoops have been bought by councillor Terry Jermy through Norfolk County Council's local member highways budget to help people in their efforts to clean up their communities.

The fund, which is available to all county councillors, allows members to focus on small-scale projects or initiatives within their division.

Mr Jermy said: “We know that many Thetford residents are very passionate about where they live and hate to see rubbish strewn around our communities.

"That rubbish can also be very damaging to the local environment and wildlife as well as being unsightly.

"We have a number of proactive local groups that organise regular litter picks and some that undertake sessions on an ad hoc basis."

The equipment will be "put to good use" each month across the Burrell Ward in Thetford at a new monthly community litter pick.

The group meet on the second Saturday of each month at 10am, alternating between meeting at the Charles Burrell Centre and the Meet Up Café, and spread out across the ward in their efforts to tidy the area up.

Burrell Ward councillor Chris Harvey said: “Our monthly litter picks have been going for a while now and we’re really pleased with the support that we have received.

"At each session we remove more than a dozen bags worth of rubbish from the streets. If while we are out, we spot bigger items like fly-tips, we photograph these and report to the relevant authorities as well”.

The next litter pick is on November 13 at 10am at the Meet Up Café, with the activity open for anyone to attend.

Mr Jermy said the new kit is being stored at the Charles Burrell Centre on Staniforth Road and available free of charge for any local groups to borrow and use to support their litter picking efforts.

People are asked to pre-book to ensure that the kit is available and not already in use by another group. You can contact the centre on 01842 779867.