OLD broken boats, rubbish and discarded pieces of wood were just some of the items that filled three skips at a beach clean up.

Residents and Tendring Council worked together to tidy Harwich beach.

Alistair Thorpe, Peter Wink and Thomas Hanley organised the tidy up after becoming frustrated with the lack of action to clean the area.

Jackie Thorpe, who supported the event, said: "They meet and spend time on the beach and it was a hell of a mess before so they organised the clean-up.

"With the council they got skips and a JCB.

"There were three skips full to the top of broken boats and old bits of wood."

It is now hoped the clean-up will be held annually.