VOLUNTEERS celebrated the end of a three-year battle to revitalise one of the few remaining examples of lowland heath in Worcestershire.

Hartlebury Common, in Stourport, is one of the county’s most important nature reserves and is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

But the Lower Heath area of the Common reserve was plagued by fly-tipped waste and litter.

In October 2018, a group of Keep Britain Tidy litter-picking volunteers, known as the Pickup Artists, arranged to collect the litter around the nature reserve with Worcestershire County Council’s Countryside Greenspace Rangers Team and the Hartlebury Common Local Group volunteers.

It has taken more than 500 volunteer hours and £26,000 worth of County Council funding to tackle the issue, with excavators brought in to remove tons of heavy fly-tipped waste before the volunteers could reach the rest of the rubbish.

Worcestershire resident Karen Blanchfield oversaw the project after becoming a Keep Britain Tidy #LitterHeroes Ambassador in 2019, following her inspiring litter educational work with schools and community groups. She is one of more than 200 ambassadors around the country who are part of a programme made possible thanks to support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

She said: “The passion and determination that the volunteers have shown with this project has been inspirational and I'm delighted that we will welcome cabinet members on-site to see what has been achieved by members of the community.

“I believe litter prevention is key to change future behaviours around littering.

“The pandemic initially stopped community litter-picks and with advice and guidance from Keep Britain Tidy, we were able to get back together to litter-pick safely."

MP Mark Garnier attended the celebration to mark the end of the clean-up.

Karen Blanchfield added: "It was a great celebration event for all involved and very special to have the many thanks from the representatives that attended."