HARDWORKING volunteers are continuing their efforts to keep Hartlebury Common tidy after a series of wildfires.

The Pickup Artists are holding their monthly litter pick on August 22 at 10:30 am meeting at Brian Norton and Sons Auto garage on Sandy Lane industrial estate.

Volunteers are averaging around 50- to 60 filled bags per month and requesting volunteers to help cover areas of the lower heathland.

On August 1, 12 bags of litter were collected in one hour from the nature reserve.

The bags were filled with glass bottles, broken glass pieces, food on the go packaging and around 80 to 90 dog poo bags.

It was hoped that they could clear litter to prevent further fires during the heatwave.

Karen Blanchfield, Keep Britain Tidy litter heroes ambassador, organised the litter pick with Worcestershire County Council.

She said: “Glass and plastic bottle items when littered act like a magnifying glass when the sun hits them, and this is a recipe for a fire.

“It was great to see so many volunteers from the Pickup artists and community members who use the common get involved in protecting our nature reserve”

Hereford and Worcester Fire Service is also reminding people not to drop litter and to instead take it home or dispose of it in waste bins.