Young litter-pickers cleaned up their estate after being inspired by a community champion whose mission is to keep the streets tidy.

Ruth Major, from Oldham, travels all over the country using her free bus pass and encourages people to pick up one piece of rubbish every day.

During a visit to Whitehaven at the weekend, she was shocked to see the amount of rubbish outside the shops on the Mirehouse estate.

Armed with rubbish bags from the Premier shop and Ropers fish and chip shop, Ruth rallied up some teenagers who were hanging around the area to help clean up the mess.

She said: “I went to the shops and I was treated to this road of desolation. I thought, oh my goodness.

“I approached the children who were sat outside and said, ‘do you like living in this mess?’ With a bit of persuasion they cleaned it all up. It’s not just their rubbish, it’s everybody else’s.”

The youngsters collected six bags of rubbish and Ruth hopes her intervention will have a lasting influence on the area.

She said: “There’s goodness in these kids. Now they keep FaceTiming me saying ‘when are you coming back Ruth?’

“They could do with some encouragement from other grown-ups. I have had a lot of response from local people so that has been rather nice. Hopefully someone will take it up.”

Carl Walmsley, who represents the Whitehaven South ward on Copeland Council, said: “I was really pleased to see the difference made in the area with the help and persuasion of just one passionate lady from outside the area. “I am not surprised by the support of the kids as I know the majority are a fantastic bunch who just sometimes need that little push in the right direction.

“Hopefully the pride they felt and the coverage it has had will inspire them to keep it up regularly.”