Oswaldtwistle has a serious litter problem after ‘years of neglect’ by the council, according to a group cleaning up the town.

Kath Everett – who founded the Ossy Litter Pickers in 2021 – says her team recently filled 18 bags of rubbish in one small area alone.

The group wants Hyndburn Borough Council to conduct more clear-ups and dish out fines for people caught littering more often.

Kath said: “We’re not picking up what the council fails to see, what we’re picking up is from years and years of neglect.

“It shouldn’t be worse than ever because we’re out every weekend. I think a lot of our members genuinely thought that once we’d cleaned up an area, we could just move onto another.

“They are shocked that literally weeks or days later it’s back to the same state that it was in.”

Another member of the group said: “It would be grand if there was a partnership, it’s just us week in week out.

“Any changes are driven by us.”

Despite having 304 members on their Facebook page, only six are currently active with many volunteers leaving after seeing their work undone by repeated littering.

Kath added: “If a few more of us drop out then we won’t have anyone at all.”

While acknowledging the importance of tackling fly-tipping, the former teacher reported she thinks it’s shifted focus away from smaller debris.

The Government outlines district councils must keep land in their area clear of litter and refuse ‘as far as it is practicable.’

Maximum fines for littering increased from £150 to £500 last year.

Hyndburn Borough Council have been approached for comment.