Huge clean up after Lancaster canalside cat food packet dump

The Forest Friends group carried out a litter pick in Newton Beck Woods recently, but were faced with a huge mess to clean up.

Hilary Smith, from the group said: “It was a lovely warm sunny spring morning in Newton Beck Woods.

“The birds were singing, trees coming into bud but the Forest Friends were faced with a real mess to clean up.

“Someone had taken it into their head to throw their rubbish down the bank from the canal towpath, probably over a long period of time.

“The children who were helping us in their school holidays were intrigued as to why someone would throw hundreds of empty sachets of cat food and fast food trays into the woods.”

Hilary said the volunteers tackled the job and collected 12 large bags of rubbish and an old TV. She added: “This sunny bank was returned to nature, but if anyone sees anyone with cats on the canal, throwing rubbish into the woods, please contact Lancaster City Council.”

A Lancaster City Council spokeswoman said: “We’ve not been made aware of an issue of repeat littering in this area and have instructed our Environmental Enforcement Team to investigate.”

Forest Friends meet regularly at different woodlands in Lancaster, Heysham and Carnforth and do practical conservation tasks which improve the woods for wildlife and for people. The project has been made possible by grants from the Postcode Local Trust, and the Woodland Trust. Follow them on at Facebook.com/forestfriendsNW or [email protected].