OKEHAMPTON has been looking particularly tidy this week, thanks to the latest 'Keep Okehampton Tidy' event last Saturday.

Residents and local organisations turned out across the town to pick up litter and tidy up Okehampton throughout the day on Saturday. The original idea of uniting the town's organisations and voluntary groups to do a big litter clear up was formed in 2013 after pupils of Kes Tor Class wrote individual letters to then-town mayor Cllr the Rev Mike Davies about the overuse of plastic shopping bags and the state of littering in the town.

The first few 'Keep Okehampton Tidy' events have been supported by the town council, Okehampton Primary School, and the Okement Rivers Improvement Group.

Cllr the Rev Mike Davies said: 'Legacy is a word often used today. The children of Okehampton Primary school first raised the issue of litter and I am sure they did not expect that Okehampton would now be having two litter picks each year as a result of those letters.

'A legacy indeed! I would like to thank all of those involved in collecting litter around Okehampton on Saturday. A special mention must be made to the Okehampton Rivers Improvement Group who continue to do a wonderful job every month.'

l Pictured are Cllr the Rev Mike Davies, Cllr Tony Leech, Cllr Christine Marsh and Okehampton Primary School teacher Emma Goodwin with some of the children who joined in last weekend's tidy day in Okehampton.

Picture by James Bird