A GROUP of fed-up residents are taking it upon themselves to keep their town litter-free.

The streets of Dalton have been filled with litter and to control this issue a group has been created on social media.

Russell Hayley created "Keep Dalton Tidy" - a Facebook group to share litter picks and identify areas needing attention. 

"I was tired of seeing all the litter around Dalton", said the founder.

The group was created two weeks ago and already has 66 members.

The Mail: Before and after: Russell's first litter picking in Broughton Road.Before and after: Russell's first litter picking in Broughton Road. (Image: Russell Hayley)

Mr Hayley says he wants to gather 'an army of litter pickers'.

One of the major issues identified was the backstreets of Dalton.

He said: "The smell on the backstreets is awful.

"The issue is that the council doesn't have the resources to go litter picking on the scale that it is probably needed. I think a citizens initiative is what it is needed like the Keep Dalton Tidy Facebook page."

He said the most common items found on the streets was cans of alcohol, disposable vapes and water bottles. 

Councillor Dave J Taylor, who encouraged Russell Hayley to set up the group, said: "Our streets are just constantly a mess but that is mainly because we don't have a town street cleaner like we use to do, which we are still trying to get back. 

"The backstreets of Dalton are constantly getting reported. The council comes out, cleans them up and within a week they're in the same state again. 

"It would help a lot if the people who have the backstreets could help the town by cleaning up the mess. If they could make sure things were bagged up things may be a lot better and these little groups that are forming into cleaning up the town won't be needed. 

"People need to stop throwing litter on the floor and use bins. There's plenty of bins in the town.

The Mail: Litter found in Ulverston Road.Litter found in Ulverston Road. (Image: Submitted)

Councillor Lee Roberts, the deputy leader of Barrow Borough Council, said: "It’s disappointing to hear reports of rubbish being dumped in Dalton. 

"Regular refuse collection is in place across Dalton and throughout the Borough, and we encourage everyone to recycle properly or use our bulky waste collection for larger items.

"There is no excuse for dumping rubbish in this way. Please report all fly tipping to the council to enable clean up and, where possible, to help the council identify the people responsible. There's more information about the refuse services on the council website. 

"Keeping our neighbourhoods clean and tidy benefits everyone and provides a boost to the community."