On Thursday, 23 February, the team headed to the area around Conningbrook Lakes Country Park, Ashford where they collected over 30 sacks of rubbish over several hours. 

A total of 440 plastic bottles and 186 drinks cans were strewn around the site and have now been safely collected for recycling. Of the drinks brands Lucozade was the most prolific with 42 bottles removed, followed by Coca-Cola (22), Fanta (8), Oasis (8), Fruit Shoot (7), Pepsi (7) and Yazoo (6). 

Food containers, vapes, bike tyres and many bags of dog poo were also removed from the country park during the sweep. 

Kent Wildlife Trust Area Manager Ian Rickards said: “The team did an amazing job clearing rubbish from this beautiful area. 

"It is crucial that people understand the impacts that dumping rubbish or leaving bagged dog waste can have on the wider landscape. It is likely that visitors have dropped their litter further upstream, but it is being carried downstream and will ultimately end up in the ocean. It is lazy, unnecessary and is harmful to wildlife. 

“We are lucky to have these sites available to us. They are essential to our wellbeing and bring us closer to nature. I would urge anyone who may have been a litter bug to please be considerate and take your rubbish home.” 

What the team found: 

• 92 bottle caps or lids 

• 22 plastic cups 

• 40 plastic bottles 

• 311 food wrappers or packets 

• 40 food containers (fast food etc) 

• 36 shopping bags 

• 7 children’s toys 

• 5 pens 

• 3 sealant cartridges 

• 12 lighters 

• 6 vapes 

• 255 misc plastic or polystyrene 

• 16 tree protectors 

• 2 bike tyres 

• 186 drinks cans 

• 16 items of clothing or shoes 

• 98 glass bottles 

• 35 bagged dog poo! 

• 19 sports balls 

• Miscellaneous items including; bike mud guard, shopping basket, flower pots, traffic cone, roofing felt, car mats, frying pan, chair, gas cannister, umbrella handle, car air freshener and confetti cannons.