A Honiton couple say they are ‘disgusted’ after filling three bags with litter they picked up in just a half-mile stretch of road.

Midweek Herald: The rubbish collected by Chris Edwards and his wife in the lanes around Gittisham. Picture: Chris EdwardsThe rubbish collected by Chris Edwards and his wife in the lanes around Gittisham. Picture: Chris Edwards (Image: Archant)

Chris and Moira Edwards, of Cherry Close, regularly go on a four-mile walk from their home around the lanes leading to Gittisham.

The couple decided to stage a clean-up after noticing the amount of rubbish strewn in the country lanes - and say they were shocked by how much litter they recovered from the undergrowth.

Chris, 54, said: “We made our way from the bottom of Hayne Lane to the top at Beech walk, which is only half a mile, and in this short distance we filled three bags with rubbish.

“We were disgusted and can only assume that the majority of it is discarded from passing cars.”

Chris said if he and his wife had carried on the litter pick until they got to their house, they would have probably cleared up enough rubbish to fill a skip.

He added: “On getting home we sorted the rubbish and found that about 90 per cent of it was recyclable.

“To the culprits we say, shame on you! Please take your rubbish home and recycle it, its not difficult. Help save our beautiful countryside and protect the wildlife for ourselves and future generations.”

It was revealed earlier this year that East Devon District Council was forced to spend an estimated £41,552 clearing up dumped waste across East Devon between 2015 and 2017.

A Freedom of Information request showed fly-tipping in Honiton, Axminster and Seaton alone had left taxpayers with an estimated bill of more than £17,000 since 2015.

Honiton is second-highest in the standings of seven towns hit hardest by fly-tipping.

Taxpayers in the town have been hit with an estimated bill of £7,504 for the waste to be cleared.

Honiton’s mayor, Councillor Henry Brown, has echoed the Edwards’ call for people to be more respectful of the countryside.

He said: “To have any chance of leaving this planet in a fit state for future generations, we need to respect the importance of recycling.

“It is simply disgraceful that we not only have recyclables not being sorted but that they are dumped on the road side.

“The attitudes of some which think the world owes them something or that it’s not their problem - is beyond me.

“Every single one of us must do our bit to forge a better future and this starts with initiatives like recycling.”