Oldbury Clean Team prepared for Mother’s Day with a village “Clean Up with Mother” on Saturday. 7 village mums joined the 12-strong team to give the village a makeover, collecting an impressive 21 bags of rubbish in the process.

The team focused on the village playing fields and on the main routes into Oldbury. As ever, Picked Moor Lane, the key way into the village from Thornbury, proved to be the most littered area and is clearly regarded as an easy dumping ground not only for people throwing their litter out of their car windows but also for the fly-tipping fraternity. Among the items recovered from a ditch in a notorious lay-by on the lane was, believe it or not, a flat-pack wardrobe.

George Monck, co-founder of Oldbury Clean Team, commented : “It may be Mother’s day tomorrow, but Picked Moor Lane is the mother of all grot spots. It is important to us that we keep this main route into Oldbury clean as it gives visitors their first impression of the village. If it is left in a badly littered and fly-tipped state, visitors to Oldbury don’t get a very clean welcome to our lovely community. We will be discussing with South Glos Council how we can get the message across to those people who chuck litter from their vehicles as they are seriously spoiling the look and feel of our village”.

Following the litter-pick, Oldbury Clean Team members were treated to a barbecue by the team’s very own chef, Paul Astle, with the food generously donated by The Anchor pub. “They were the most delicious sausages and burgers we have tasted for a long time”, enthused Paul, “just like mother used to make”.

Many thanks to all who took part – you did a great job ! Watch out for news of our annual riverbank cleanup – coming soon.