A Honiton resident is encouraging fellow townspeople to join her and become lockdown litter pickers.

Kathy Layzell, who moved to the town from Dunkeswell last November, said she was shocked by the amount of rubbish she had found.

Armed with a litter grabbing device she bought from the TRIP community transport offices in the town, she walked from Fairfield Gardens to the entrance of Millers Way and soon gathered up a full bag of rubbish.

Kathy, who lives in Meadows Crescent, said: “I walk my dog regularly around Honiton and I have been shocked at the amount of litter. I found a considerable amount in a short distance.

“But I was surprised by the support and thanks I got from passers-by and now I plan to pick up more litter from other streets.”

Kathy is calling on the community to do its bit in keeping parks, pavements and green spaces tidy. As well as making the town look better she believes it makes the environment safer for wildlife.

She said: “It would be wonderful if people did their own little bit in the parts of town where they live.

“I have discovered that using the ‘grabber’ is fun and I wondered whether it would be something to encourage our community and children to do in lockdown. One woman who saw me picking up litter turned to her son and said, ‘you could do that’.

“The grabber is easy to use. There is no bending down. It’s actually lots of fun.”

Kathy, who works in a hospice in Taunton, added: “I’m not sure we can stop the people causing the problem but we can educate the younger generation growing up to take pride in their community and keep the place tidy.

“If we want to live in a nice place like Honiton we all have to take a bit of responsibility to keep it tidy.”

Kathy is also concerned about dogs’ mess on pavements.

She said: “I take poo bags on every walk. I have even started taking them on every run as I’m a regular runner.

“The fear of children, pushchairs or the elderly treading in this stuff does not bear thinking about.”