Town councillor wages war on bottles and cans

Wetherby Town Councillor Paul Bradley has a new weekly task – tidying up bottles, cans and litter and debris left in car parks and roadsides across the town.

Wetherby Town Councillor Paul Bradley has a new weekly task – tidying up bottles, cans and litter and debris left in car parks and roadsides across the town.

The self appointed green warrior said his ‘labour of love’ started out on a walk.

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“It began quite casually at first, collecting as I walked about the town then we had the Wetherby Town Council litter pick and I was so disappointed at the amount of litter and debris, particularly along Privas Way,” said Coun Bradley.

“There were eight bags along one small stretch alone, and not surprisingly, the top five of the litter haul are bottles, cans, crisp packets and sweet wrappers. Don’t even get me started on cigarette butts.”

On his last big clean up, he took Coun Neil O’Byrne, the Mayor of Wetherby, to the Cluster of Nuts car park, another hot spot, to show him just how many bottles, boxes and bags are left on the ground by residents.

“We were both amazed that so much had accumulated in a few days.

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“The worst thing is that, when the bottle banks are full, instead of taking bottles home and returning later, people leave them around the containers, despite the notices. It’s the same at the clothes bank. It’s all a bit thoughtless.

“It’s a labour of love. We have such a lovely town and I hope that I can inspire others to help keep it that way.

“Look out for the next litter pick details.”