Ongar Town Council are set to organise two mass clean-ups in a bid to improve the town.

Councillors are set to host the litter picking events in an attempt to improve the local environment which was subject to vandals last year and saw the authority forced to pay £1,000 to clean up graffiti which had become a recurring problem in play areas, skate board parks and allotment sites.

The first of the two events is set to take place on June 6 and will concentrate on the southern end of town. 

A second pick-up will take place in November.

Litter pickers are asked to meet at the Jubilee Park Pavilion in Love Lane at 9.30am and will be provided with cleaning equipment, gloves and high visibility jackets as well as free parking and refreshments. 

A council spokesman said: "the council would like to encourage residents to be more responsible for their own rubbish and not to rely on other people to pick up their litter.

"All volunteers would be warmly welcome to join in this effort to clean up local streets."