People in Dudley are being asked to get behind their local parks by helping to keep them clean as part of a national campaign from Keep Britain Tidy.

Love your Parks week runs from 23 July to 1 August and aims to raise awareness of the issues that are caused by people who drop rubbish in parks.

Fly-tippers and litter louts in the borough have been targeted in Dudley Council’s hard-hitting ‘Don’t be a tosser’ campaign, originally the concept of York Council.

The borough’s beauty spots have been affected by thoughtless people dumping their waste in areas and the campaign is partly in response to a 69 per cent increase in littering in parks and green spaces during the pandemic.

The parks team was forced to increase staffing on litter collections during lockdown, with many volunteers unable to operate, and installed 25 additional bins.

People can now help by taking part in community-led litter picks and can borrow equipment from the council. Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for public realm, said:

"Parks are incredibly important places that give us space to play, relax and enjoy nature and the pandemic highlighted how essential they are to a sense of wellbeing.

"We know that many wonderful people are already volunteering and helping to keep our parks and open spaces clear of litter, dropped by those who don’t care about the environment they live in.

"Love Your Parks Week highlights the unfortunate impact that littering can have on our parks and we are encouraging people to join in with community litter picks in their local area."

People can report fly-tipping by using the Dudley Council app, by calling 0300 555 2345 or online at dudley.gov.uk.