DEDICATED volunteers from across the Advertiser area picked up dozens of bags of rubbish – and a bike – as part of a massive spring clean.

Despite the awful weather on Friday, March 3 morning, residents, business owners and councillors were among those who got soaked to take part in the annual Andover town tidy day event, organised by Andover Town Centre Partnership.

The team filled about 35 sacks in total, even recovering a dumped bike, and also took part in bollard repainting.

The event was sponsored by Andover firm Simplyhealth, who also provided a team of staff to join the litter pick and is organising a river cleanse later this month.

Town centre manager Chris Gregory said: “We were overjoyed with the turnout.”

Meanwhile, enthusiastic litter pickers battled the driving rain to help clean up an Andover estate.

The group, led by Test Valley Borough Council’s Alamein ward representatives, spent a day cleaning open spaces on Smannell Road, before moving through Augusta Park.

Councillor Phil North, who helped organise the session, said: “The council regularly cleans up litter but as part of the nationwide campaign to tidy up the land, we thought we’d do our bit to make it look even better.”

In Tidworth 20 bags of rubbish were filled.

Brownies and rainbows joined councillors and residents to litter pick throughout the town as part of this year’s Great British Spring Clean.

Deputy mayor and organiser of the event, Councillor Brian Pratt, along with mayor Mark Connolly and volunteers from Wiltshire Wildlife and local scouting groups worked together.

Cllr Pratt said: “We had a great turn out for the Great British Spring Clean.”

In Ludgershall more than 30 residents donned high-vis vests and grabbed litter pickers to join councillors and soldiers from 26 Engineer Regiment for a two-day clean-up.

Ludgershall town councillor Mike Giles said: “We were delighted to participate alongside so many willing volunteers who all played their part in helping to make Ludgershall a cleaner place to live.”