HARDY volunteers removed 14 bags of rubbish from a Dovercourt beach as part of the Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean.

The group bagged 50kg worth of trash including disposable barbecues, a mud guard for a bike and a large eight feet squared rug.

A survey of the litter found on West End Beach was also completed by the volunteers on Saturday.

Organiser Sally Parfitt said: “‘Our coast is a fantastic resource, which can be enjoyed by everyone.

“We need to ensure it is free from rubbish, to provide a safe environment for both people and wildlife.

“This year we collected over 50kg of litter from West End and in Dovercourt including plastic, cans, bottles, fishing line and balloons.

“The large rug had a hole burnt into the middle of it and it was not the sort of kind you would take for a picnic.

“It looks as if it may have been flytipped.

“Another problem is helium balloons used to mark special occasions, which end up in the sea, and along our shores, and pose a danger to marine life, like porpoises and sea birds.”