A GROUP of litter pickers has collected more than 1,000 bags of rubbish in 11 weeks.

Volunteers from Keep Darwen Tidy, began holding weekly litter picking sessions in March and have since collected 1190 bags of rubbish.

On Saturday a group of 18 volunteers collected more than 80 bags of rubbish from Clarence Street and Hollins Grove.

The rubbish was taken away in a skip donated by Hunters estate agents in Darwen.

Group member Tracy Jones said

She said: "They are doing amazing work around Darwen.

"They were volunteering at Darwen Live to try and keep everything tidy and clean.

Even 10 year old members were telling grown ups to pick their plastic cups up and put them in the bin."

The group were praised for their efforts by Blackburn with Darwen environment boss Cllr Jim Smith at a Council Forum in March.

Cllr Smith highlighted the success of the group who he said had 'done some great work to mobilise and motivate local people to action’.

The group meet every Saturday to collect rubbish around Darwen.

The litter picks run from 10am until 12pm are open to anyone who would like to attend.

For more information visit the Keep Darwen Tidy Facebook page.