'Take your rubbish home with you' say councils ahead of Easter weekend outdoor gatherings

Shocking scenes from around the country emerged earlier this week, as the warmer weather drew in crowds of people - who dumped their rubbish over a myriad of green spaces.

And as the rain continues to stay away from the Fylde coast, both Blackpool and Wyre councils have re-issued their plea for tourists to do the same until April 12.

Councillors also reminded local residents to respect beaches and parks visited over the bank holiday, by taking any rubbish home if no bins are available.

Litter Enforcement Officers will continue to patrol in Wyre over Easter, the council confirmed, and officers can issue fixed penalty notices to anyone seen to be dropping rubbish.

A spokesman for Wyre Council said: "We recognise that with school holidays and nice weather, many will choose to visit our open spaces to enjoy this time. If you do visit, please be respectful of the space and take away your rubbish. If the bins are full, please take your rubbish home with you.

"We’d also like to remind residents and visitors that Covid-19 is still here. Travel should be kept to a minimum and if places are busy, please consider visiting somewhere else to help prevent the spread of the virus. We look forward to welcoming you back once it is safe to do so.”

Coun Gillian Campbell, Blackpool Council cabinet member for Tourism and Culture, added: “We look forward to people enjoying Blackpool once again as guidelines and restrictions have started to ease.

“However, we continue to send messages and information out to visitors and residents to emphasise social distancing responsibilities alongside the importance of keeping our town and our beaches litter free.

“Our much loved beaches and parks have been a lifeline for many through this incredibly difficult time so we urge people to protect our environment and use bins provided to dispose of litter or take it home. It’s everyone’s responsibility to keep Blackpool and elsewhere tidy and clean.”