PUPILS from Wanstead High School were out picking up litter as part of a charm offensive on the High Street.

The school has had a bad rap over the years from traders and shoppers who say that children throw their chip and sweet wrappers on the pavement of Wanstead High Street and nearby green spaces

Aytac Ali, assistant head at the school, accompanied the children as they filled rubbish sacks on Christchurch Green last Friday.

He said: “We think a lot of the criticism is unfair because the vast majority of our kids are a good bunch.

“This is about taking that message into the community and letting people know that we do care about the area.”

Mr Ali said that teachers went out on patrol every five to six weeks and would always come down if the school was called about pupil behaviour.

“There have been a couple of examples of kids having a cigarette down an alleyway or weeing against a wall where we have gone down,” he added.

“But we have only had one complaint this term.

“At the end of the day people might see children having a bag of chips at the bus stop and making a bit of noise as a threat, but the truth is these children are actually good citizens.”

As part of the day, the children talked to passers-by about the litter pick which was organised as part of anti-bullying week.

Billie Figg, 90, a founder member of the Wanstead Society was a Wanstead High pupil in the 1930s.

She said: “In my day if you weren’t home two minutes after school finished your mother would be calling the police.

“I go out in the summer and pick up the rubbish that the children leave on Christchurch Green.

"I often hope they will see me and think about what they are doing.

“I’m glad to hear they have been out and hope it will become a regular event – perhaps the school could offer prizes to the pupils who pick up the most rubbish.”