THE streets of Okehampton are looking tidier this week, thanks to the hard work of volunteers who took part in last weekend's Keep Okehampton Tidy day.

Children and parents from the primary school, town police, Okehampton Air Cadets and the Okement Rivers Improvement Group were among those to turn out to pick up litter around the town. Alongside individuals and other community and residential groups, teams of litter pickers focused on different areas of the town to tidy.

After the litter pick, afternoon refreshments were served at Okehampton Police Station, where children had the chance to sit in a police car, be handcuffed and play in a police phone box — much like the TARDIS from Doctor Who.

Town mayor Cllr Rev Mike Davies joined a team from Okehampton Primary to tidy the area around the skate park, the school and in the town centre.

'I am delighted we found a lot less litter this time,' said the mayor.

'Although we still collected a considerable amount, it goes to show that we must be making progress.

'I am grateful to all those who were involved in the litter pick.

'I would especially like to thank the officers at Okehampton Police Station for having an open session at the station for the children in the afternoon.

'It certainly made a good finish to a very tiring day.'

The event was the second of its kind, following the first Keep Okehampton Tidy day in April.

The idea of uniting the town's organisations and voluntary groups to do a big litter clear up was formed after pupils of Kes Tor Class wrote individual letters to the mayor about the overuse of plastic shopping bags and the state of littering in the town.

The next Keep Okehampton Tidy Day litter pick will probably take place in April 2014.

Anyone who would like to volunteer with the Okement Rivers Improvement Group can join them on the last Saturday of every month at 10am at the recycling bins in Waitrose car park.