A WOMAN has won £5,000 after picking up litter in a bid to keep her town clean and tidy.

Leyland woman Louise Sunderland, 23, is the UK’s first ever LitterLotto jackpot winner.

Louise picked up 427 items of litter in her local area which resulted in her bagging a jackpot of £5,000 for her efforts.

Last month, LitterLotto launched in the UK, with the aim of helping to combat the ‘two million pieces of litter dropped daily.’

The app is the UK’s first litter picking app which actively encourages people to take action against the UK’s litter problem, in return for the chance to win cash prizes.

To take part, you have to do it download the LitterLotto app, take photos of litter going into a bin and you are entered into the monthly jackpot, which originally stood at £5,000 and has now been increased to £10,000.

There are also thousands of instant-win prizes from £5 to £250 being offered throughout the month. Each time you bin litter, you get an entry into the LitterLotto and more chances to win prizes.

Louise Sunderland said: “When I first heard the news I was in disbelief, and I am still in shock now. There really is no reason not to have this app on your phone. All I did was download the app, pick up litter when I was out and about, and then I got a call to say I’d won the jackpot.

“The problem of litter in my area has always been something I have been passionate about. This app supports me playing a part in cleaning up my local area, but also contributing towards a cleaner, safer environment. The money will help me get through the Christmas period, as I have just moved into my first home with my partner, so this year has been financially very stressful.”

Simon Jacobs, director (aka ‘The Lord of Litter’), at LitterLotto, added: “We have created an app and have started a movement aimed at tackling the UK’s litter issue head on because we are passionate about reducing litter. Litter kills wildlife and pollutes our rivers and oceans. We’re encouraging people to take the UK’s litter problem into their own hands and win prizes for their proactivity. This is a fantastic concept, and a win-win for everyone, most notably our planet. Louise is a worthy winner and deserves the money for getting onboard and doing her bit for her local area.”

Having recently announced McDonald’s as LitterLotto’s UK partner, a McDonald’s UK&I spokesperson said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with LitterLotto on this initiative. It’s really exciting to hear that so many people are taking part and getting onboard to tackle the litter crisis. We hope that more of our customers will download the app, pick up litter and be in with a chance to win.”

The app from a British company was first trialed in Denmark in August 2021, where it was received with overwhelming support and staggering results, with almost 85 per cent of all the litter binned being picked up from the ground by tens of thousands of users.

All litter counts on the LitterLotto app, from a single cigarette stub, to a takeaway meal box. Users simply download the free app, then take a picture through it as they bin litter, anywhere.