RESIDENTS have hit out at the amount of litter being thrown out of cars and dropped by customers of a new fast-food takeaway.

Valerie Sharpe of Williamsburg Avenue, Dovercourt, said discarded food and drink wrappers are blowing into the housing estate behind the new McDonalds and into a wildlife area.

She said: "It's all blowing down to our estate, people come along and drop their rubbish and go down the Hangings and drop their rubbish.

"People living here are really getting angry, we've not stopped moaning about it.

"There might be a committee set up because people are fed up already - it's been open three weeks.

"I took my dog out in the morning and say three children with McFlurries and I thought they would just end yo being chucked , probably down the Hangings, and that is a wildlife area.

"A lot of rubbish has been found there.

"We need bins there."

Mrs Sharpe said she and another residents have complained and while the McDonalds staff are litter picking but only around the building.

She added: "They say they are clearing up around their site, but they are selling the food which is causing the problem.

"It shouldn't be destroying our lives."

Mrs Sharpe said lorry drivers have been flouting the no parking zone, set up due to safety concerns near the Lidl roundabout, to buy food and there have also been near misses near the entrance.

"People turning left to come into Williamsburg Avenue put their indicator on and people coming the other way think they are turning into McDonalds so are pulling out in front of them.

"There have been six to eight near miss accidents.

"And who knows what it will be like when Costa opens."

Craig Newnes, who runs Harwich McDonalds, said staff have been litter picking around the area, including the Hangings and Williamsburg Avenue with more plans in place to stem any litter issues.

He added: "We have already been doing daily extensive litter walks, not just McDonalds litter may I add.

"I've discussed in the near future trying to get two bins provided by myself around the Hangings - at present there are two very small bins not sufficient at each end, I will pursue this over next few weeks.

"If we get bins in area we will commit to emptying them daily, something the council cannot achieve and hopefully be appreciated by the local residents.

"I've also discussed engaging local schools to maybe come up with a litter flyer poster campaign, educating the children to not drop litter in the future alongside heightening awareness now.

"The Hangings is an area that we will really get behind very soon to try to allow it to be a place of beauty and allow local residents and visitors to see the area and enjoy its green space."