AN eco-conscious group of volunteers armed with black bags spent their free time cleaning up a coastal town.

The Harwich Litter Pickers embarked on a walk throughout Harwich where they collected carelessly discarded waste.

The independent group, which is made up of residents, donned matching T-shirts branded with their ‘Love Our Town’ slogan.

The 15 environmentalists bagged up everything from general waste and a rusty barrel to an exhaust pipe, and they also found a fridge.

A spokesman for Community Voluntary Services Tendring, which supports the group, said: “This lovely group of litter pickers have been out in Harwich keeping their community clean and tidy.

“This is an independent group, run by the community, for the community.”