Volunteers at Barrow reservoir end litter pick early and beg for bins

Seven people, including members of local wildlife rescues and Friends of Ormsgill Reservoir,  hosted a litter pick at the weekend which ended far sooner than they thought.

They only got through a small section of Ormsgill reservoir before they were faced with 11 bags - including a cone and a scooter.

There are currently two bins located nearby however volunteers say this isn't 'anywhere near enough' for the amount of litter.

"The reservoir only has one bin," said Rachel Wilson, of Rachel's Wildlife rescue. "That's by the Tally Ho. The other by the changing rooms is a bit too far away and people don't really use it. 

"Our most recent litter pick we collected eleven bin bags and we hadn't even made it all the way around.

"Friends of Ormsgill Reservoir have begged the council for more bins for around a year now. There's been at least three good points pointed out to the council to place bins and volunteers have offered to maintain them but still no more have been added.

"The amount of litter, including the hundreds of dog bags that are constantly picked up, is just unacceptable."

A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said:  "Littering and inconsiderate use of our public open spaces not only spoils other people’s enjoyment and is damaging for the environment and harmful to wildlife, but it also means someone else, often generous local volunteers, are left to clean up the mess these thoughtless individuals leave behind.

"We have two litter bins provided for public use at Ormsgill Reservoir, one by the Tally Ho and one by the changing rooms.

"Unfortunately, these litter bins themselves have been subject to vandalism and we have previously had to replace them after they were ripped out and thrown into the reservoir, despite being fixed to the floor and having concrete bases.

"We share the frustrations of the Friends of Ormsgill Reservoir and the local animal welfare groups about the littering issues in this area and we have explained the problems we have experienced with damage and vandalism to the bins that we have installed.

"The main message here is always one of responsibility. We would say to anyone going out to enjoy our wonderful area to make sure you act responsibly and dispose of your litter appropriately, either in a suitable bin or by taking it home with you to dispose of.

"The council is always happy to discuss options to mitigate litter issues, including the potential for the installation of additional bins in areas where we believe this would help to reduce littering and would not risk causing a secondary hazard to the environment."